Offshore staff
TOKYO, Japan — ClassNK has issued approval in principle (AiP) for an ammonia floating storage and regasification barge (A-FSRB) concept co-developed by NYK Line, Nihon Shipyard, and IHI Corp.
Ammonia does not emit CO2 and has applications as a potential fuel for decarbonization.
The A-FSRB is an offshore floating facility designed to receive and store ammonia that has been transported via ship as a liquid; warm and re-gasify the ammonia, according to demand; then send it to a pipeline onshore.
Advantages, according to the developers, are a shorter construction time and lower costs compared with construction of onshore ammonia storage tanks and regasification plants.
ClassNK performed the design review in line with its Part PS of Rules for the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships and Guidelines for Floating Offshore Facilities for LNG/LPG Production, Storage, Offloading and Regasification
There are currently no international regulations for floating storage and regasification facilities with ammonia as a cargo, so the substance’s unique requirements will have to be reflected in the design.
ClassNK and the three companies undertook a risk identification of various contingencies and examined potential technical issues from the initial study stage.
The risk identification involved use of the gap analysis method, which determined differences between conventional ships and offshore floating facilities for heavy oil, LNG, etc, and also assessed the impact of these differences.
Based on its review and results from the risk identification exercise, ClassNK issued the AiP.
01.05.2023
