Safety assessment of LNG carriers based on fault tree analysis

The consumption rate of LNG has increased rapidly in recent years, which draws the demand for LNG carriers. Over the past ten years, the number of ongoing LNG carriers has increased dramatically while more carriers are expected to be built in the years ahead. This has led to public concern about the safety of the LNG carriers. In this paper, an overall risk identification for LNG carriers is conducted considering the hazards of LNG as a marine fuel and specific hazards to LNG carriers. Based on this, Fault Tree Analysis has been utilized for risk assessment of LNG carriers. By doing so, this paper provides important reference for shipping management authorities and policymakers on developing effective measures to control the identified hazards, so as to improve the safety level of LNG carriers.