(117a) Introducing “Tank Tanker Dynamic Simulator”

Recently LNG demand is increasing in the world and total LNG transportation amount by LNG tanker is increasing. LNG transport system should be designed to meet annual shipping commitment. LNG transportation system consists of loading tank, loading berth (jetty), LNG tankers, unloading berth and unloading tank. For shipping terminal construction, the following requirements should be determined.

- How much LNG tanker capacity and how many tankers

- How much loading tank capacity (total storage capacity)

- How many berths

The number of LNG tankers depends on its capacity, annual shipping commitment, and the voyage time to receiving terminal. The loading tank capacity depends on LNG tanker capacity and the voyage time. And the number of berths depends on berth occupied time per shipping and the annual shipping times. The annual shipping times depends on the annual shipping commitment and LNG tanker capacity. So, above mentioned all requirements depend on the LNG tanker capacity.

On the other hand, LNG tanker capacity tends to increase. The international standard capacity of LNG tanker at the half of 90’s was 125,000m3. Its capacity on these days is 145,000`266,000m3. It means that choices of LNG tanker capacity are increased. The optimized solution, the combination of tanker capacity, the number of tankers and the loading tank capacity, is not only one and several optimized solutions exist.

Chiyoda developed the computer software called “Tank Tanker Dynamic Simulator” for the purpose to obtain optimized solutions for tanker transportation system. This simulator is the dynamic simulator that simulates transporting LNG by tankers and calculates the followings.

-      Producing LNG at shipping terminal

-      Supplying LNG to the end users at receiving terminal

-      LNG storage volume in loading tank and unloading tank

-      Annual transported amount of LNG by tankers

This simulator takes the following events that tanker transporting delay account in.

-      LNG train shutdown and unscheduled shutdown

-      Storm at berth

-      Storm on ocean route

-      Tanker docking for maintenance

Chiyoda can offer optimized solutions for LNG transporting system by this simulator. Which solution will be taken finally, it depends on the cost evaluation.

We will introduce “Tank Tanker Dynamic Simulator” and show the optimized solutions as examples.