RINA publishes gas fuel notation

It is designed to give the industry a regulatory tool to ensure that the arrangement and installation on board of machinery using this type of fuel are such as to provide a level of integrity, from the point of view of safety and reliability, equivalent to that of a conventional installation. RINA notes that the use of natural gas as a fuel provides the advantages of a total reduction in SOx emissions, a considerable reduction in NOx emissions, a 20% reduction in CO₂ emissions and competitive prices at current costs and estimates for the near future.

The new notation was approved at the annual meeting of RINA’s technical committee. Other major new rules discussed included requirements for permanently moored floating units for natural gas liquefaction (FLNG) and new Rules for the classification of units operating in the Caspian Sea and in other similar areas. The FLNG rules cover floating units for the liquefaction of methane gas, its storage and subsequent offloading onto gas carriers for final transport to the area of destination, generally known as FLNG (floating LNG) and also FPSO LNG (floating production storage offshore LNG). The flexibility which these units offer in terms of positioning makes them particularly attractive for use where it is necessary to eliminate environmental impact. They remove the need for a large gas liquefaction plant ashore, and they can be relocated to different geographical areas, provided the environmental conditions are similar.

In the light of this interest and to be able to offer the industry a valid regulatory tool, RINA has developed ad-hoc rules for FLNG units, which are contained in the new Chapter 5 of Part E of the Rules for the classification of Mobile Offshore Units and MODU. The new RINA rules cover aspects linked to hull structure and plant, related to both ship and processes. With reference to the latter aspect, RINA has developed specific criteria, based on risk analysis, to be able to deal adequately with the safety aspects associated with use, in an offshore marine environment, of plant and machinery used in oil refineries on land.

Bearing in mind the special requirements and uniqueness of the area, RINA has developed rules for the classification of offshore units operating in the Caspian Sea and in similar areas. Some of these units have special characteristics and non-traditional tasks. For example, IBEEV (ice breaking emergency evacuation vessels) are designed to operate throughout the year including in winter ice to safely evacuate personnel operating on offshore platforms in the case of an emergency.