Risk Alert Highlights Boil-Off Gas Management Challenges for LNG Carriers During Delays

Prolonged port congestion, extended drifting, and standby periods present significant challenges for liquefied natural gas carriers by disrupting standard boil-off gas management procedures. A risk alert has highlighted the compounded operational, commercial, and contractual hazards that arise when vessels are forced to remain idle outside normal transit schedules.

When vessels are unable to proceed on continuous voyages, conventional methods for managing cargo boil-off become constrained. This limitation leaves crews with fewer mitigation options, resulting in elevated boil-off gas exposure while cargo boils off over extended standby intervals.

Beyond physical cargo handling concerns, these operational bottlenecks frequently trigger commercial friction between contractual parties. Unplanned delays often lead to disputes over associated costs, accrued time, and final cargo volume allocation upon discharge.

To safeguard against potential claims and resolve contractual conflicts, the guidance emphasizes meticulous operational documentation. Operators are urged to maintain precise records of operational parameters and preserve clear logs of all commercial instructions received during drifting or congestion periods.