US classification society ABS said it would open a global liquefied natural gas (LNG) training center in Doha, Qatar.
ABS said in a statement the move is part of its support of Qatar’s National Vision 2030 and the Tawteen Program, which focuses on education and quality employment for Qatari nationals.
Qatar is a top LNG producer and hosts the giant Ras Laffan complex which sources gas from the North Field.
State-owned QatarEnergy and its unit Qatargas are working on the North Filed expansion projects to add about 48 mtpa to Qatar’s export capacity and bring it to 126 mtpa by 2027.
Besides this, QatarEnergy is building a huge fleet of dual-fuel LNG carriers to ship the fuel from the expansion projects.
LNG training center to open in Q1 2023
In collaboration with local corporations, the new training center would focus on LNG production and operations, ensuring that seafarers are skilled to work with this dynamic fuel and the most modern fleet of vessels, ABS said in the statement.
The ABS training center would offer virtual classes during the fourth quarter of 2022 and open its facility for in-person training in the first quarter of 2023, according to the statement.
“LNG as marine fuel is one of the more mature alternative fuels and has the potential to accelerate decarbonization efforts in the industry. Yet, LNG-fueled vessels require unique specifications and additional training for mariners is something we recommend,” Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS CEO said in the statement.
“We recognize that many shipowners are already turning to ABS for training solutions,” he said, adding that this center is the natural next step, and the company looks forward to work with its clients to train the next generation of Qatari mariners with safety standards.
