LR Establishes New Notion for LFPF

In the last 12 months, the industry experienced two major changes in legislation with the revised International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC Code) and the adoption of the International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code). The codes have broadened the horizons for gas applications, encompassing the use of low-flashpoint fuels for gas carriers and non-gas carriers, but it is the classification society’s role to ensure clear standards, requirements and methodology are put in place, to help ensure the required levels of safety and reliability are achieved.

LFPF is assigned where the main propelling and/or auxiliary machinery is designed to operate using a low-flashpoint fuel in accordance with the applicable LR Rules and Regulations. LR’s approach to this developing market is through Rules and Regulations applicable to all ships using low-flashpoint fuels under an overarching notation that is clearly structured, scalable and can evolve as the industry’s knowledge matures.

Leo Karistios, LR’s Global Gas Technology Market Manager, commented, "The innovation in gas carriers and non-gas carriers using gas as a marine fuel has been tremendous over the last two years. Our new class notation LFPF is Lloyd’s Register’s response to the market’s evolution. Our rules and regulations are evolving at the same pace so that classification’s role maintains its significance in the marine and gas market sectors."

The LFPF notation is to be appended by the associated characters GC or GF: