Overview
ISO 16904-2:2024 provides internationally recognized guidelines for the design, material selection, qualification, certification, and testing of hose assemblies used in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) marine transfer systems. This standard focuses specifically on transfer hoses as a part of larger marine transfer installations, such as those found at terminals and aboard LNG carriers. The document aims to ensure that LNG transfer hoses demonstrate the highest standards of safety, reliability, and performance throughout their lifecycle.
ISO 16904-2:2024 outlines requirements for both mandatory and optional hose assembly components. It also defines the different categories for application and qualification, acknowledging the varying operational environments and technical challenges associated with marine LNG transfer operations.
Key Topics
- Design Requirements: Outlines the principles for hose assembly design to ensure integrity under LNG transfer conditions, including considerations for length, buoyancy, insulation, external protection, and leak detection.
- Material Selection: Provides guidance on choosing materials that withstand cryogenic temperatures and mechanical stress without degradation over time.
- Qualification and Certification: Establishes a process, with different Hose Qualification Categories (HQC), to assess and certify hoses for specific applications, taking into account dynamic loads, fatigue, and operational scenarios.
- Testing and Quality Assurance: Describes rigorous testing protocols such as pressure, fatigue, burst, and leak tests, both during qualification and as part of ongoing factory acceptance and quality control.
- Component Requirements: Details both mandatory (e.g., flexible hose, end fittings, identification marks, handling devices) and optional (e.g., leak detection, insulation, buoyancy aids) components.
- Documentation: Specifies requirements for design, manufacturing, and operational documentation to support traceability and regulatory compliance.
Applications
ISO 16904-2:2024 is applicable to various LNG marine transfer scenarios, including:
- Ship-to-ship transfer (e.g., LNG carrier to Floating Storage Regasification Unit or bunkering)
- Shore-to-ship LNG bunkering
- Ship-to-shore transfers at conventional and offshore terminals
- Offshore tandem offloading/loading involving aerial or floating hose configurations
The standard's qualification categories account for static and dynamic load exposure, ensuring suitability for protected environments, exposed weather conditions, and submerged applications. Hose assemblies qualified under this standard are central to safe, efficient, and environmentally secure LNG transfer operations across the global energy industry.
Related Standards
ISO 16904-2:2024 references and complements several international and European standards, including:
- EN ISO 16904:2016 – Design and testing of LNG marine transfer arms
- EN 1474-3:2008 – Design and testing of offshore LNG transfer systems
- EN 1474-1:2008 – Design and testing of mechanical transfer arms
- EN ISO 7369:2004 – Metal hose and hose assembly vocabulary
- EN ISO 8330:2014 – Rubber and plastic hose vocabulary
- EN ISO 10012:2003 – Measurement management systems
- EN ISO 10619-1:2018 – Flexibility and stiffness measurement
These related standards cover aspects such as transfer arm design, offshore system integrity, material definitions, and measurement requirements, ensuring harmonization across the LNG transfer industry.
By adhering to ISO 16904-2:2024, stakeholders in the LNG sector-including manufacturers, operators, designers, and regulators-can ensure that LNG marine transfer hose assemblies meet demanding safety and performance expectations, supporting both operational efficiency and regulatory compliance on an international scale. This standard strengthens the robustness and reliability of the global LNG supply chain, particularly in marine environments.