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In response to industry demand for clarity over options for gas readiness, Lloyd’s Register (LR) has established what it describes as "clear standards" depicting different levels of readiness to use gas as a marine fuel.

To justify design and production requirements, capital expenditure (CAPEX) investment and operational planning, Lloyd's Register's Gas Fuelled Readiness (GR) notation, with levels A, S, T, P and E (M, A, B and I), is designed to give "real meaning to options for gas readiness".

Lloyd's Register points out that while liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel has been adopted in projects that make commercial sense already, like Northern Europe ferry routes, most deep sea players who are interested in the potential of gas-fuelled operations are not yet ready to commit to LNG fuel but want to have the option to adopt gas as a fuel in the future built into newbuilding projects.

Moreover, Lloyd's Register says that those looking at a gas-fuelled future will have varying appetites for levels of investment and preparedness based on clarity over their options at the newbuilding stage, and then through operational life.

Luis Benito, Global Strategic Marketing Manager, Lloyd's Register Marine, commented: "We identified a blocker to progress in this area and listening to, and working with, shipyards and owners we have developed this notation, with clearly identifiable levels, to enable technical and contractual decisions as to what different levels of gas readiness mean.

"This means that shipyards can be clear about what they are offering and buyers know what they are getting – and at what price. This is a vital tool for agreement at a contract stage for levels of readiness that also allows contracts to be flexible if the owner wants to make changes at agreed opportunities even during construction."

Lloyd's Register said: "GR is a descriptive notation, and will form part of Lloyd's Register’s rules for gas-fuelled ships, and so reflects all safety and operational requirements to meet global standards for gas operations. Lloyd's Register’s Technical Committee members will be able to review the GR descriptive notation."

Benito added: "The fact that this notation has already been reviewed by yards, owners – and will be further examined in our committees and revisited every year– is a real strength and demonstrates that the full insight of the shipping industry has been involved in the development process."

Gas Fuelled Readiness Notation

GR - Assigned to ships other than LNG carriers, detailing the aspects of design and construction that are prepared for gas fuel operation in accordance with the Lloyd's Register Rules and Regulations.

The level of gas-fuelled readiness is structured through the following associated characters denoting:

A - That approval in principle has been achieved for the basic design.

S - Necessary Structural reinforcement and materials have been installed.

T - Gas storage tank is in place.

P - The gas fuel piping arrangements are installed.

E - Those engineering systems (main engine(s), auxiliary engines, boiler etc.) being also gas fuelled:

Lloyd's Register cites the following example to explain the new notation: "The descriptive note GR(A, S, E(M,I)) indicates that, in accordance with the Lloyd's Register Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Natural Gas Fuelled Ships in force on date of contract for construction for the vessel in question, the full design of the gas fuel system has been appraised and approved in principle; the vessel structure is reinforced to support the proposed gas storage tank but the gas fuel tank and associated arrangements are not yet installed; and the main engine and incinerator are approved, certified and installed ready for gas fuel operation."