Singapore Maritime Academy

Class 1 & 2 (Deck) Certificate of Competency MA2024: Cargo Work

Liquid Gas Tankers: Tutorial Solutions

1. i. List the basic properties of liquefied gas and what is the IMO definition for liquefied gases carried by sea.
ii. Describe briefly the four types of liquefied gas.

i. It is liquid form of a substance which, at ambient temperature and at atmospheric pressure, would be a gas.
Most are hydrocarbons and inherently dangerous.
IMO definition for liquefied gases carried by sea: Vapour pressure > 2.8 bar absolute at a 37.8°C

ii.

Methane

Ethane

LPG Propane
NGL Butane
Natural
Gas Pentane (C5 & Heavier Fractions

Water, CO2, N2 & Hydrocarbons contaminants

LNG: The impurities have been removed and consists mainly of methane.
LPG: It consists mainly of butane and propane.
CG: Chlorine, ammonia and vinyl chloride monomer.
LEG: It originates from plant cells.

2. Describe briefly the different types of gas carriers that are based on their hazard potential

' A type 1G ship' is a gas carrier intended to transport products indicated in chapter 19 which require maximum
preventive measures to preclude the escape of such cargo.

' A type 2G ship' is a gas carrier intended to transport products indicated in chapter 19 which require significant
preventive measures to preclude the escape of such cargo.

' A type 2PG ship' is a gas carrier of 150 m in length or less intended to transport products indicated in chapter
19 which require significant preventive measures to preclude escape of such cargo, and where the products are
carried in independent type C tanks designed (see 4.2.4.4) for a MARVS of at least 7 bar gauge and a cargo
containment system design temperature of -55°C or above. Note that a ship of this description but over 150 m in
length is to be considered a type 2G ship.

' A type 3G ship' is a gas carrier intended to carry products indicated in chapter 19 which require moderate
preventive measures to preclude the escape of such cargo.

Thus a type 1G ship is a gas carrier intended for the transportation of products considered to present the greatest
overall hazard and types 2G/2PG and type 3G for products of progressively lesser hazards. Accordingly, a type
1G ship should survive the most severe standard of damage and its cargo tanks should be located at the
 Singapore Maritime Academy
Class 1 & 2 (Deck) Certificate of Competency MA2024: Cargo Work
Liquid Gas Tankers: Tutorial Solutions

maximum prescribed distance inboard from the shell plating.

3. Why does LNG carrier not normally fitted with reliquefaction plant and how does the boil-off vapours on this
gas carrier being handled?

LNG is liquefied by refrigeration to -162C and this process is carried out ashore before the cargo is loaded.
LNG carrier is fully insulated because it is not cost effective to liquefy the boil-off vapours (methane) on
board. The boil-off vapours are burned as fuel gas in the engine room.

4. Writes short notes on the following.

i. Integral tanks
ii. Membrane tanks
iii. Independent

Integral tanks form a structural part of the ship's hull and are influenced in the same manner and by the
same loads which stress the adjacent hull structure.

Membrane tanks are non-self-supporting tanks which consist of a thin layer (membrane) supported through
insulation by the adjacent hull structure. The membrane is designed in such a way that thermal and other
expansion or contraction is compensated for without undue stressing of the membrane.

Independent tanks are self-supporting; they do not form part of the ship's hull and are not essential to the
hull strength. There are three categories of independent tanks; Type A (generally self-supporting prismatic
tank), Type B (generally self-supporting spherical tank) and Type C (generally self-supporting cylindrical
tank).

5. List the sequence of operations in cargo handling operations on a gas carrier that comes directly from dry-
dock.

1. Tank inspection
2. Drying
3. Inerting
4. Gassing up
5. Cool down
6. Loading
7. Loaded voyage
8. Discharge
9. Ballast voyage
10. Changing cargo
11. Preparation for tank inspection or dry-docking

6. Why isn’t gassing-up and cool-down done in the same operation on a LNG gas carrier?

The gassing-up is done as a separate stage from cool-down because, unlike N2, inert gas contain
approximately 15% CO2, which will freeze at around 56.6C and produce a white powder, which will block
valves, filters and nozzles.
 Singapore Maritime Academy
Class 1 & 2 (Deck) Certificate of Competency MA2024: Cargo Work
Liquid Gas Tankers: Tutorial Solutions

7. With reference to liquefied natural gas (LNG), describe briefly the preparations and procedures for cargo
handling in liquid gas tankers under the following conditions.
i. During bulk loading
ii. Loaded voyage
iii. Ballast Voyage

During Bulk Loading:

1. Ensure that the cargo tanks contain no incondensable gases
2. Maintain close watch on cargo tank pressures, temperatures, liquid levels and interbarrier space pressures
3. Towards end of loading, transfer rates should be reduced as agreed to accurately top-off tanks
4. On completion, drain ship’s pipelines to cargo tank. Remaining liquid residue is cleared by blowing ashore
with vapour
5. Close manifold valves and disconnect loading arm from manifold flange

Loaded Voyage
1. Maintain strict control of cargo temperature and pressure. Incondensable gases must been vented out
2. In LNG ships, the boil-off is burned as fuel in ship’s main boiler
3. May be required to reduce temperature of LNG cargo so to arrive at discharge port with cargo temperature
below that of shore tanks
4. Conduct regular checks on cargo equipments, leaks in nitrogen/supply lines, cold spot inspections on LNG

Ballast Voyage
1. If same grade of refrigerated is loaded next, it is usual to maintain small quantity of previous LNG cargo
2. Spray cool-down pumps provides liquid to spray lines fitted in upper part of each tank to minimise tank
thermal gradients
3. For LPG cargoes, the small amount remaining after discharge is sufficient to provide the cooling effect
4. It is a frequent practice in some refrigerated trades to retain a small quantity of cargo on board after
discharge and the amount retained is known as the heel. This product used to maintain the tanks at
reduced temperature during ballast voyage but this procedure only applies when the same grade is to be
loaded at the next loading terminal. In general the quantity retained on board as a heel depends on 1)
commercial agreement b) type of gas carrier c) duration of ballast voyage, d) next loading terminal’s
requirements e) next cargo grade – can be as much as 2000 to 3000 m3 of LNG.
5. If loading incompatible product at next loading terminal, do not retain previous cargo. If small amount
exist, they may be stored in the deck-mounted pressure vessels. This avoids contamination of the
following cargo and allows the maximum quantity of the new cargo to be loaded.

8. You are a Chief Officer on an LNG carrier due for a full internal hull inspection (IHI). Describe briefly the
procedure for the cargo tank warm-up operation and subsequent gas-freeing and aeration procedures.

Warming up the cargo tanks

A successful warm-up operation is an essential part of the Inerting process.
The ship will carry out a maximum discharge (heel-out). The tanks are warmed up by recirculating heated
LNG vapour. The vapour is recirculated by the two HD compressors and heated in the gas heaters before
introduction to the tank (1st stage 0  C , 2 n d stage 75 C). Where possible, continue the warm-up as long as
possible past the desired target figures as this removes the deep seated cold ingress from the tank insulation.
 Singapore Maritime Academy
Class 1 & 2 (Deck) Certificate of Competency MA2024: Cargo Work
Liquid Gas Tankers: Tutorial Solutions

Gas –freeing - lnerting of the cargo tanks

After the tanks have been warmed up, the LNG vapour is displaced with inert gas. Inert gas from the inert
gas generator is introduced to the tanks from the bottom of the loading lines. The displaced LNG vapour is
vented from the top of the tank via the forward mast riser, or ashore if the ship is in port. Inerting is
necessary to prevent the risk of having an air/LNG vapour mixture in the flammable range. In addition to the
cargo tanks, all cargo pipe work, associated fittings, impulse lines, compressor house machinery and fuel gas
supply lines must also be freed of gas. The operation continues until the hydrocarbon content is reduced to
less than 1.5% Vol. It can take about 20 hours to complete the process.

Aeration
Using the inert gas generator and the dry-air plant in the dry air production mode, gas-free the tanks with dry
air until a reading of 20.9% by volume throughout is attained. This must be with 1% LFL or less.
The cool dry air enters the tank from the bottom of the loading lines and the inert gas is expelled through
the vapour header system to the forward mast riser.