Korean Register to Drive LNG Fuelled Shipping

Korean Register (KR) will work alongside the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Secretariat (APEC) to promote the use of LNG fuelled ships in the APEC region.

APEC has awarded a contract to KR to further the understanding of the current state and future potential for LNG fuelled vessels to serve the region’s maritime trade requirements. Work will also include a program to share knowledge and best practice across the APEC region with the aim of promoting this new technology.

At the seventh APEC Transportation Ministerial meeting held in 2011, the group confirmed their commitment to “an action agenda to move APEC towards an energy efficient, sustainable, low carbon transport future.” LNG fuelled shipping is believed to be one of the optimum potential solutions to help achieve this aim, KR said.

KR is to lead the APEC funded project supported by Japanese and Canadian representatives within APEC’s Maritime Expert Group and Transport Working Group. The class society will undertake an extensive program of research focusing on the current application of LNG technologies, associated safety aspects, seaborne trade statistics and best practice. Results will be shared with APEC member economies to help narrow the technology gap between countries.

The project will soon be underway and is expected to be completed by the end of 2015.