LNG bunkering safety zone
The controlled area around an LNG transfer, how its extent is derived, who sets it, and the simultaneous operations it permits or forbids.
The LNG bunkering safety zone is the controlled area established around a transfer operation, inside which ignition sources are excluded and access is restricted. It is derived from a dispersion and consequence assessment of credible release scenarios rather than fixed by a single published distance, which is why the same ship can be given different zones at different ports.
The zone is what makes simultaneous operations a decision rather than an assumption. Cargo work, passenger embarkation, hot work and bunkering can in principle proceed together, but only where the assessment shows the activity falls outside the zone or is otherwise controlled, and the port authority is usually the party that decides.
The full article will cover the assessment methods behind the zone, the distinction between the safety zone and the hazardous area, the role of the port authority and the terminal, simultaneous operations and how they are authorised, marking and access control, and the differences between major bunkering ports. See LNG fuel system and bunkering operations .