Crowley Maritime Corp. and the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) recently partnered to bring liquified natural gas (LNG) awareness training to first responders and other stakeholders in Jacksonville, Fla.
Crowley currently supplies LNG to Puerto Rico via barge and will take delivery of two LNG-powered container – Roll-On/Roll-Off (ConRo) ships in 2017. The training was developed in concert with the Florida State College at Jacksonville Fire Academy of the South specifically for those who work in the Port of Jacksonville area including Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Departments, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville, and area law enforcement.
“As a company, we take safety very seriously,” said Cole Cosgrove, Crowley vice president. “As we and other companies in the Jacksonville area continue to embrace the LNG market, it’s of utmost importance that we work with our local community to make sure we are all educated in safe handling of this new, environmentally beneficial marine fuel. This training was a first step to ensure all stakeholders have a unified approach to emergency response and clean-up should we ever experience an incident.”
At the training, participants were introduced to the basic characteristics and properties of LNG, its usefulness as a fuel, its hazards and safety precautions to take when working around the product. The group also learned basic and advanced firefighting techniques including identification of ignition sources, and what types of extinguishing agents exist and when to use them in varying situations. Upon completion, attendees satisfied basic LNG awareness as defined by the U.S. Coast Guard’s Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW).
“The goal of this training is to keep the excellent safety record maintained by the marine transport of LNG in the past and apply it to the safe bunkering process as we fuel new LNG fueled vessels into the future,” said Mark Marien, Crowley’s manager, regulatory training.
