South Africa based international certification agency Bureau Veritas has issued new FSU notations and guidance to support the construction and operation of Floating Storage and Regasification Units (FSRUs) and Floating Storage Units (FSUs)
Floating gas terminals offer operational flexibility, reduced timescales from concept to operation and cost effectiveness in comparison with onshore terminals. Also, converting LNG carriers offers a fast route to operational availability.
“There are more than 20 LNG carriers presently in laid-up condition. Many of them are candidates for conversion to floating terminal applications, such as FSRU or FSU operations. The new conversion guidelines provide clear advice to the LNG industry in properly addressing issues that either will or may arise during the conversion of LNG carriers into FSRUs or FSUs, helping ship owners to either avoid or to overcome potential problems,” said Bureau Veritas.
Matthieu de Tugny, chief operating officer at Bureau Veritas for marine and offshore, commented, “With growing interest in floating gas terminals, working with industry stakeholders, we are providing the rule framework and guidance necessary to develop both FSRU and FSU terminals for new buildings and conversions.”
“Last November, Bureau Veritas published NR645, the first rules document fully dedicated to FSRUs. These new notations and guidelines are further evidence of BV’s classification leadership in both FSRUs and FSUs,” de Tugny concluded.
