The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has opened a global liquified natural gas (LNG) training center in Doha, Qatar, as part of its support of Qatar’s National Vision 2030 and the Tawteen program, which aims to improve education and employment for Qatari nationals.
Working in partnership with several local businesses, the classification society’s training center will focus on LNG production and LNG operations to ensure seafarers are skilled and capable of working with the fuel and the modern types of vessels that it supplies. At the facility, ABS’s trainers will be on hand to provide theoretical and practical knowledge of LNG as a fuel and of LNG carriers. Furthermore, virtual classes are set to begin in Q4 2022, ahead of in-person training starting in Q1 2023.
“LNG as a marine fuel is one of the more mature alternative fuels and has the potential to accelerate decarbonization efforts in the industry,” said Christopher Wiernicki, ABS chairman, president and CEO. “Yet, LNG-fueled vessels require unique specifications, and additional training for mariners is something we recommend. We recognize that many shipowners are already turning to ABS for training solutions. This center is the natural next step, and we are delighted to work with our clients to train the next generation of Qatari mariners with world-class safety standards.”
“We are very excited to announce our new LNG training center in Doha with the support of the committee,” added Vassilios Kroustallis, vice president of global business development at ABS. “As a leader in classification in Qatar, ABS values the insights from our committee, which includes the diverse expertise of many knowledgeable stakeholders and is a powerful resource to focus on regulatory and technological challenges.”