Maritime authorities in China are expected to issue industrial standards for LNG-powered vessels in the second half of this year to promote the ‘Oil to LNG’ conversion programme and the LNG fueling market.

Currently there are nearly 200 vessels that have been converted to LNG power in China, however, the market hasn’t been fully commercialised due to a lack of relevant industrial standards. China Classification Society (CCS) and the Maritime Administration of China have issued some guidance documents in the past two years but none of them are on an operating level.

“The LNG market in China is still facing development constraints including lack of technology standards and infrastructure, it would still take quite a while for the market to gain stable growth,” said Liu Yijun, an LNG specialist at the China University of Petroleum.