Emergency Shutdown Link (ESL)

The transfer of hazardous liquids between ship and shore necessitates the use of Emergency Shutdown Link  (ESL) systems. Trelleborg Marine & Infrastructure has developed its ESL for LPG, ethane, oil and chemical gas transfer operations, offering a reliable link enabling rapid and controlled shutdown in emergency situations. 

The ESL comprises shore-side and ship-side sub-systems. These both possess a ‘safe area’ control unit, linked by fixed cable to hazardous area closures/control boxes. The hazardous area enclosures are then connected together by a flexible umbilical cable that allows the two sub-systems to communicate. 

The safe area control units are also connected to the ship/shore Emergency Shut Down (ESD) systems to ensure the correct and safe shut down of equipment in the event of an emergency. The ESL has an option allowing use in cases where only one side of the transfer operation is equipped with the Trelleborg’s ESL system.
Trelleborg’s ESL naturally meets the Recommendations and Guidelines for Linked Ship/Shore Emergency Shut-Down of Liquefied Gas Cargo Transfer, as set out by SIGTTO in 2009 and ISO 20519:2017 – Specification for Bunkering of Liquefied Natural Gas fueled vessels.