50-WCN-Feb09:Layout 1 24/2/09 10:26 Page 1
WorldCargo
TANK CONTAINERS
news
LNG tanks extend the gas supply chain
The intermodal tank container is
being utilised increasingly to ex-
The seaborne trade in liquefied natural gas (LNG) has
tend the natural gas supply chain
doubled during the current decade. Tank containers are
and to provide a growing volume
of customers with access to an
increasingly used to get the gas to the final customer
important fuel source. When
cooled to -162˚C and liquefied, a In recent years an increasing containers is being supported by offshore supply vessels and cross-
given volume of natural gas oc- number of gas buyers and sellers the fabrication of skid-mounted fjord ferries in service in Norway
cupies 600 times less space than it have become aware of the ben- gas liquefaction units and, at the and many more such vessels, in-
does at ambient temperatures. This efits offered by the delivery of receiving end, modular filling units cluding a roll-on/roll-off cargo ves-
allows the delivery of significant LNG in special 20ft and 40ft cryo- able to either load product directly sel, are under construction.
volumes of gas, in the form of liq- genic tank containers. The ability into vehicles running on LNG or Environmental protection is a
uefied natural gas (LNG), using to transport these units easily by vaporise the LNG for use with key driver of the advancing LNG
specially insulated, cryogenic road, rail and sea and to use them vehicles powered by CNG. infrastructure in Norway. The gov-
transport units and storage tanks. as temporary storage vessels has In addition to its attractiveness ernment has set limits on ship
Until recently, the natural gas won the LNG tank container a as a vehicle fuel, gas enjoys wide- engine emissions and LNG, be-
supply chain was limited to deliv- number of converts. It has also spread use in the residential and cause it is acknowledged to be a
ery by pipeline or large-scale ship- prompted several manufacturers of industrial sectors. Norway, a coun- much better fuel than heavy fuel
ments of LNG by sea. In a small cryogenic tanks to gear up their try rich in gas but faced with oil or diesel oil in that respect, will
UBH’s 20ft cryogenic tank is able to accommodate 21,000 litres of LNG
number of cases, LNG road tank- production lines for such units. logistical challenges due to its long, help in achieving the necessary re-
ers have been utilised for the local mountainous coastline, utilises small duction in greenhouse gas emis- by a wide margin, with 26 large proximately 14,000 kg and can ac-
delivery of gas from a large storage Multitude of uses coastal LNG tankers and a limited sions from ships. coastal receiving terminals. Most commodate a payload of over
tank to small satellite LNG stations. LNG tank containers are particu- fleet of LNG road tankers to get customers are in the major cities 16,000 kg, giving a gross weight of
Gas can also be distributed in com- larly useful in serving small and gas to remote communities. Satellite system and served by short pipeline con- approximately 30,000 kg on an in-
pressed form but compressed natu- remote communities not con- The country is also leading the Japan is another country with nections with an LNG import ter- ternal volume of 40 m
3
.
ral gas (CNG) tanks are heavy due nected to a gas pipeline and not way in extending the natural gas mountainous terrain and severe minal located nearby. LNG tank containers are con-
to the thickness of the pressure ves- more than 1,000 km from the supply chain and one of the uses to logistical challenges when it comes In recent years Japan has taken structed as cryogenic units accord-
sel shell and cannot carry as much source of the gas. The spread of which it puts LNG is as a ship fuel. to gas distribution. The country is steps to extend its gas supply ing to the requirements of the UN
gas as an LNG tank. supply chains utilising LNG tank There are already 10 LNG-fuelled the world’s largest importer of LNG chains to the country’s more re- T75 portable tank standard. They
mote regions and LNG is the cho- are similar in construction to liq-
sen mode of delivery. While LNG uid nitrogen tank containers, with
road tankers have been used in a 304 stainless steel inner tank,
tm
Japan for 25 years, LNG coastal vacuum insulation and an outer
tankers and tank containers have protective shell, usually also of
been added to the mix during the stainless steel. For the LNG tank
current decade. design, however, due allowance is
Japan Petroleum Exploration given to the fact that LNG, when
Co Ltd (Japex), for example, in- it vaporises to natural gas, is flam-
troduced the combined road and mable while nitrogen is inert. A
rail distribution of LNG using 40ft LNG tank container costs at
tank containers in March 2000 to least 10 times as much as a stand-
extend the distances at which de- ard 20ft hazardous liquids tank.
livery in the Tokyo Bay area is Tank designs, as well as filling
commercially viable. The com- limits and holding times, are sub-
pany introduced a similar system ject to competent authority ap-
on the northern island of proval. The minimum time that an
es and Sealing Hokkaido in October 2003 and LNG tank container is usually re-
within the past year the tank con- quired to hold its load against pres-v
l
tainer distribution network on the sure build-up due to cargo boil-
Pelican Worldwide - The Netherlands
a island has been widened consid- off before the safety relief valve
Phone: +31 (0) 186 656 230
erably following commissioning opens is 14 days.
of a second LNG production train
at the Yufutsu LNG plant. Builders at the ready
Pelican Worldwide - USA - Houston
Companies that have committed
Phone: +1 713 862-5557
Word spreads to LNG tank manufacture are
Other countries and regions have relatively few and include Gascon
begun to use LNG tank contain- in South Africa, M1 Engineering
Pelican Worldwide - Asia - Singapore
ers, including China, Australia, and UBH International in the
tion in V
Phone: +65 6278 9980 Spain, Algeria and Eastern Europe. UK, CIMC in China, Chart Ferox
a
Modern Industries in Perth, for in the Czech Republic and
example, is launching a service, Technex in the Ukraine. In addi-
under the Modern LNG Pty Ltd tion, a few specialist manufactur-
www.pelicanworldwide.com
banner, which is utilising 20ft and ers of tanks for liquid nitrogen,
info@pelicanworldwide.com
40ft ISO tanks for the distribu- oxygen and argon, such as Cryolor
Innov
tion of LNG by road, rail and sea and Cryo AB, are able to turn their
to remote power stations, trans- hand to LNG tank containers.
portation refuelling points and gas Kiev-based Technex did not
process and heating operations in built its first LNG tank container
TAN THANH
Western Australia. until October 2002 but in 2008 the
Australia has a large and grow- output of such units topped 200.
ing LNG production capacity, Most of these were 40ft units and
Container Co., Ltd.
with all the output earmarked for the overall production dwarfed the
export. If only a small part of that company’s 2007 output.
production was diverted for do- Alex Romanuk, export man-
mestic consumption, it would be ager for Technex, attributes last
Tan Thanh Container company, we
enough to keep several sizeable year’s buoyant performance to
specialize in:
fleets of tank containers occupied. both increased demand and the
China is also stepping up its company’s much-improved pro-
• Trading any dry and reefer use of tank containers in LNG dis- duction line. Technex is anticipat-
containers.
tribution. While much of the gas ing a steady rise in the demand
• Repairing and supplying spare
to be consumed in the populous for its LNG products in the years
coastal zones will be provided in ahead, not least for environmen-
parts for containers under IICL the form of LNG imports, China tal reasons and as the LNG supply
standard
has significant gas reserves deep in chain continues to extend.
the interior and LNG peakshaving Zhangjiagang Sanctum
• Buying any dry and reefer
plants, with large storage tanks, are Chemical Machinery Co Ltd
containers frequently.
being built to produce LNG and manufactured its first LNG tank
hold it until such time as it is container at its plant near the
needed. Tank containers are being mouth of the Yangtze River in
Head Office: Quarter 4, Truong son Street,
employed to deliver LNG from the October 2002 and in May 2003
Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc District,
peakshaving plants to communities won a contract to build 150 such
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
not connected to the gas grid. units. The order, from Xinjiang
Tel: (84.8) 37280924, (84.8) 38962622
Guanghui LNG Development Co
Handphone: (84.9) 08227422 (Mrs. Phuong)
LNG tank design Ltd, was the first in China for a
Fax: (84.8) 38972058, (84.8) 37222535
LNG has a relatively low density series of LNG tank containers.
and 40ft tank containers are fa- The company became part of
Email: tanthanhdepot@hcm.vnn.vn
voured over 20ft units in the ma- the CIMC organisation in Octo-
jority of circumstances because the ber 2004 and today LNG tank
larger units are able to carry more containers are but one of a wide
www.tanthanhcontainer.com
gas, approaching the volumes car- range of liquefied gas processing
ried by road tank trailers. A typical and transport units available from
40ft tank has a tare weight of ap- CIMC Sanctum. a74
50 February 2009
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52