Part A. General Requirements or Ships Using Methyl Alcohol (Methanol) or Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol) as Fuel

LR 1-01 The requirements in the Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels, Preamble and Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels, Part A and Part D are applicable to the use of methyl alcohol (methanol) and ethyl alcohol (ethanol) together with the additional requirements herein.

LR 1-02 To support the demonstration of equivalent safety for the use of gases and low-flashpoint fuels other than natural gas as required by the Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels, Part A, specific requirements for the use of methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol as fuel are included in this Appendix.

LR 1-03 This Appendix incorporates the final text of the Interim Guidelines for the Safety of Ships Using Methyl/Ethyl Alcohol as Fuel as published in MSC.1/Circ.1621. For the purposes of Classification, the Interim Guidelines incorporated herein are to be read as requirements and wherever the word ‘should’ appears, it is to be read as ‘shall’. Requirements in the Appendix which are additional and do not appear in the Interim Guidelines are prefixed by ‘LR’.

1.1 The purpose of these Interim Guidelines is to provide an international standard for ships using methyl/ethyl alcohol as fuel.

1.2 The basic philosophy of these Interim Guidelines is to provide provisions for the arrangement, installation, control and monitoring of machinery, equipment and systems using methyl/ethyl alcohol as fuel to minimize the risk to the ship, its crew and the environment, having regard to the nature of the fuels involved.

1.3 Throughout the development of these Interim Guidelines it was recognized that the provisions therein must be based on sound naval architectural and engineering principles and the best understanding available of current operational experience, field data and research and development. These Interim Guidelines address all areas that need special consideration for the use of methyl/ethyl alcohol as fuel.

1.4 These Interim Guidelines follow the goal-based approach (MSC.1/Circ.1394/Rev.2) by specifying goals and functional requirements for each section forming the basis for the design, construction and operation of ships using methyl/ethyl alcohol as fuel.

1.5 The current version of these Interim Guidelines includes provisions to meet the functional requirements for methyl/ethyl alcohol as fuel.

LR 2-01 The requirements and definitions in the Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels, Part A, 2 General and its sub-sections are applicable to the use of methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol together with the additional requirements and definitions herein.

2.1 Application

Unless expressly provided otherwise these Interim Guidelines apply to ships to which part G of SOLAS chapter II-1 applies.

2.2 Definitions

For the purpose of these Interim Guidelines, the terms used have the meanings defined in the following paragraphs. Terms not defined should have the same meaning as in SOLAS chapter II-2 and the IGF Code.

2.2.1 Bunkering means the transfer of fuel from land-based or floating facilities into ships' permanent tanks or connection of portable tanks to the fuel supply system.

LR 2.2-02 Enclosed space means any space within which, in the absence of artificial ventilation, the ventilation will be limited, and any explosive atmosphere will not be dispersed naturally^footnote. In practical terms, an enclosed space is bounded either on all sides, or all but one side, by bulkheads and decks irrespective of openings, such that the required ventilation rate to prevent the accumulation of pockets of stagnant air cannot be achieved by natural ventilation alone.

LR 2.2-03 Filling limit means the maximum allowable liquid volume relative to the tank volume to which the tank may be loaded. The maximum filling of methyl/ethyl alcohol fuel tanks shall be 98 per cent.

2.2.2 Fuel means methyl/ethyl alcohol fuels, containing allowable additives or impurities, suitable for the safe operation on board ships, complying with an international standard.

2.2.4 Fuel preparation space means any space containing equipment for fuel preparation purposes, such as fuel pumps, fuel valve train, heat exchangers and filters.

2.2.5 Gas freeing is the process carried out to achieve a safe tank atmosphere. It includes two distinct operations:

• 1. Purging the hazardous tank atmosphere with an inert gas or other suitable medium (e.g. water) to dilute the hazardous vapour to a level where air can be safely introduced.
• 2. Replacing the diluted inert atmosphere with air.

2.2.6 Independent tanks are self-supporting, do not form part of the ship's hull and are not essential to the hull strength.

2.2.7 Integral tank means a fuel-containment envelope tank which forms part of the ship's hull and which may be stressed in the same manner and by the same loads which stress the contiguous hull structure, and which is normally essential to the structural completeness of the ship's hull.

LR 2.2-04 Master fuel valve is a remotely activated and system activated valve in the fuel supply line to the consumers which is located outside the machinery space of category A and is immediately downstream of the methyl/ethyl alcohol supply equipment.

2.2.8 Portable tank means an independent tank being able to be:

• 1. easily connected and disconnected from ship systems; and
• 2. easily removed from ship and installed on board ship.

LR 2.2-05 Risk is the combination of the likelihood of an event and its consequence. Likelihood may be expressed as a probability or a frequency.

LR 2.2-06 Service profile for the purposes of these Rules is the machinery power/speed operational envelope indicating all the intended operational points applicable to the use of methyl/ethyl alcohol as fuel and any short-term high-power operation.

2.2.9 Single failure is where loss of intended function occurs through one fault or action.

2.2.10 Single fuel engine means an engine capable of operating on a fuel defined as in 2.2.2 only.

LR 2.2-07 Spaces not normally entered means a space such as a fuel tank or surrounding cofferdam, not normally entered during normal operation, but which may be entered through a bolted cover after appropriate isolation and venting.

LR 2.2-08Tank master isolation valve is a remotely operated valve on the outlet from a fuel storage tank which is located as close as possible to the tank outlet location.

2.3 Alternative Design

2.3.1 These Interim Guidelines contain functional requirements for all appliances and arrangements related to the usage of methyl/ethyl alcohol fuels.

2.3.2 Appliances and arrangements of methyl/ethyl alcohol fuel systems may deviate from those set out in these Interim Guidelines, provided such appliances and arrangements meet the intent of the goal and functional requirements concerned and provide an equivalent level of safety to the relevant sections.

2.3.3 The equivalence of the alternative design should be demonstrated as specified in SOLAS regulation II-1/55 and approved by the Administration. However, the Administration should not allow operational methods or procedures to be applied as an alternative to a particular fitting, material, appliance, apparatus, item of equipment or type thereof which is prescribed by these Interim Guidelines.

LR 3-01 The requirements in the Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels, Part A, 3 Goal and functional requirements and its sub-sections are applicable to the use of methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol together with the additional requirements herein.

3.1 Goal

The goal of these Interim Guidelines is to provide for safe and environmentally friendly design, construction and operation of ships and in particular their installations of systems for propulsion machinery, auxiliary power generation machinery and/or other purpose machinery using methyl/ethyl alcohol as fuel.

3.2 Functional requirements

3.2.1 The safety, reliability and dependability of the systems should be equivalent to that achieved with new and comparable conventional oil-fuelled main and auxiliary machinery.

3.2.2 The probability and consequences of fuel-related hazards should be limited to a minimum through arrangement and system design, such as ventilation, detection and safety actions. In the event of fuel leakage or failure of the risk reducing measures, necessary safety actions should be initiated.

3.2.3 The design philosophy should ensure that risk-reducing measures and safety actions for the fuel installation do not lead to an unacceptable loss of power.

3.2.4 Hazardous areas should be restricted, as far as practicable, to minimize the potential risks that might affect the safety of the ship, persons on board and equipment.

3.2.5 Equipment installed in hazardous areas should be minimized to that required for operational purposes and should be suitably and appropriately certified.

3.2.6 Unintended accumulation of explosive, flammable or toxic vapour and liquid concentrations should be prevented.

3.2.7 System components should be protected against external damage.

3.2.8 Sources of ignition in hazardous areas should be minimized to reduce the probability of fire and explosions.

3.2.9 Safe and suitable fuel supply, storage and bunkering arrangements should be provided, capable of receiving and containing the fuel in the required state without leakage.

3.2.10 Piping systems, containment and overpressure relief arrangements that are of suitable design, material, construction and installation for their intended application should be provided.

3.2.11 Machinery, systems and components should be designed, constructed, installed, operated, maintained and protected to ensure safe and reliable operation.

LR 3.2-01 Fuel containment, supply systems and their associated spaces and machinery spaces containing sources that might release methyl/ethyl alcohol into the space shall be designed and arranged such that a fire or explosion in either will not lead to an unacceptable loss of power or render equipment in other compartments inoperable.

3.2.12 Suitable control, alarm, monitoring and shutdown systems should be provided to ensure safe and reliable operation.

3.2.13 Fixed fuel vapour and/or leakage detection suitable for all spaces and areas concerned should be arranged.

3.2.14 Fire detection, protection and extinction measures appropriate to the hazards concerned should be provided.

3.2.15 Commissioning, trials and maintenance of fuel systems and fuel utilization machinery should satisfy the goal in terms of safety, availability and reliability.

3.2.16 The technical documentation should permit an assessment of the compliance of the system and its components with the applicable rules, guidelines, design standards used and the principles related to safety, availability, maintainability and reliability.

3.2.17 A single failure in a technical system or component should not lead to an unsafe or unreliable situation.

LR 4-01 The requirements in the Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels, Part A, 4 General Requirements and its sub-sections are applicable to the use of methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol together with the additional requirements herein.

4.1 Goal

4.1.1 The goal of this section is to ensure that the necessary assessments of the risks involved are carried out in order to eliminate or mitigate any adverse effect on the persons on board, the environment or the ship.

4.2 Risk assessment

4.2.1 A risk assessment should be conducted to ensure that risks arising from the use of methyl/ethyl alcohol fuels affecting persons on board, the environment, the structural strength or the integrity of the ship are addressed. Consideration should be given to the hazards associated with physical layout, operation and maintenance, following any reasonably foreseeable failure.

4.2.2 The risks should be analysed using acceptable and recognized risk analysis techniques. Loss of function, component damage, fire, explosion, toxicity and electric shock should, as a minimum, be considered. The analysis should ensure that risks are eliminated wherever possible. Risks which cannot be eliminated should be mitigated as necessary. Details of risks, and the means by which they are mitigated, should be documented to the satisfaction of the Administration.

4.3 Limitation of explosion consequences