13 upgrades for LNG Marine Loading Arms already in service — safety, integrity, performance and lifetime gains, installed during planned maintenance windows.
Many LNG marine loading arms have been in service for up to 30 years. In the meantime, new technologies have become available. Targeted upgrades deliver a disproportionately high impact with a comparatively small intervention: improved safety, availability, fewer unplanned stops, better performance and a longer service life. SVT engineers assess your existing installation and recommend only what pays off. Every hour a vessel waits at the jetty because of equipment trouble costs real money. Upgrades provide significant benefits for LNG terminal operations.
In most cases, a targeted upgrade is the more economical option. A structurally sound marine loading arm can serve for decades. Retrofit modules — from seal-protection systems like the Pressure Equalizer System (PES) and Barrier Pressure System (BPS) to control-system and safety-integrity upgrades — restore safety and performance at a fraction of replacement cost, installed during planned maintenance windows.
Full replacement is typically only justified when the structure itself is at end of life, or when the terminal's product or vessel range changes fundamentally. The definitive answer comes from an on-site condition assessment by the manufacturer.
Every module below is engineered as a retrofit for arms already in service — installed during planned maintenance windows, not instead of them. Click through the full catalog to see what fits your terminal. Hands-on training rounds out the offering.
Hydraulic Quick Connect Disconnect Coupler — a hydraulically operated connection system between the SVT loading arm and the LNG carrier.
Reliable, long-lasting bolt security at every flanged connection — preventing self-loosening even under extreme vibration and temperature changes.
A stainless steel mesh wrapped around the product pipeline, significantly reducing the size of falling ice chunks as the system warms up after loading.
Insulation of product lines preventing ice formation, controlling energy losses, enabling controlled processes and improving cool-down management.
Temperature sensors positioned at multiple points (IBA / OBA / Riser) along the product pipeline enable precise monitoring, analysis and optimisation of the cool-down process.
ATEX-conform automatic / adjustable grease lubricator cartridge for installation on all four structure ball bearings.
Hydraulic operation of the arm locking and unlocking mechanism ensures reliable and efficient performance.
A pressure relief valve installed in the liner balances pressure from expanding LNG trapped between the primary and secondary seals after loading.
Environmental leakage-free swivel joints, achieved by inert gas barrier pressure applied to the sealing system.
Separately driven upper ball valve (part of PERC) that shuts off the pipeline for purging, interlocks, or pre-closure while ESD 1.
Anti-Corrosion-Technology clamps are specially designed to protect stainless steel hydraulic lines against pitting corrosion.
Hardware and software extension of the existing control system to enable maximum safety and reliability.
Software for displaying and analyzing equipment and system conditions across the full loading arm fleet.
Theoretical and practical seminar on the operation and maintenance of loading arms at the SVT plant in Schwelm, Germany.
Unlocking plant potential together with the client through available upgrades.
You receive a prioritised recommendation: what improves safety now, what reduces downtime risk next, what extends lifetime later — scheduled around your maintenance windows, not against them.
Upgrades are installed with SVT assistance, verified and documented. Your compliance records are up to date. Feel the difference.
SVT engineers to the standards that EPCs, classification societies and terminal operators specify — every arm is documented with a full compliance dossier including materials, weld procedures, pressure tests and FAT reports.
The most frequent questions from terminal operators, maintenance managers and operations teams considering an upgrade. Need something more specific? Book a technical consultation — a regional specialist replies within 24 hours.
Yes. SVT acquired the Wiese and Connex marine loading arm portfolios — original drawings, FAT records and spare-parts inventory live in Schwelm. Upgrades such as PES and BPS are engineered against the original documentation of your specific arm, regardless of its nameplate.
Third-party installations are assessed case by case.
In most cases a targeted upgrade is the more economical option. A structurally sound marine loading arm can serve for decades — retrofit modules restore safety and performance at a fraction of replacement cost and are installed during planned maintenance windows.
Full replacement is typically only justified when the structure itself is at end of life or the terminal's product or vessel range changes fundamentally. A jointly assessed potential determines which path applies.
Upgrades are planned into your existing maintenance windows. PES and BPS installations are designed as retrofit packages with pre-fabricated components — the goal is that the upgrade never causes an additional terminal stop.
The phased upgrade plan you receive after the condition report states the required window per module upfront.
Industry practice based on OCIMF and SIGTTO guidance is a layered regime: routine visual and functional checks by the operator, scheduled preventive maintenance, and periodic major inspections of swivel joints, seals and the emergency release system.
The exact intervals depend on product, duty cycle and the terminal's regulatory regime — SVT defines them in the condition report and, if desired, a long-term service agreement.
If your LNG arm has been in service for years and seal-related leakage or environmental compliance are on your risk register, most likely yes. The definitive answer comes from the jointly assessed potential – the first step of every upgrade project.
Three steps: an assessment of upgrade potential — unlocking plant potential together with the client through available upgrades; a phased upgrade plan prioritised by safety and downtime impact; and installation & verification — upgrades installed with SVT assistance, verified and documented, with your compliance records kept up to date.
The whole process is scheduled around your maintenance windows.
The business case is driven by avoided downtime: a vessel waiting at the jetty because of equipment trouble costs real money every hour — an unplanned leak can stop loading entirely. Compared to that, a targeted retrofit is a small, plannable investment that also extends the remaining lifetime of the arm and defers replacement CAPEX.
SVT operates a worldwide service network with field engineers and technicians on-call for emergency interventions, scheduled maintenance and major overhauls. Spare parts are stocked in Schwelm, Germany as well as in other global key regions.
Long-term service agreements with predictable maintenance windows are available for terminal operators with multiple arms.
Tell us which arms you operate and what keeps you up at night — safety findings, leakage, ageing seals or looming downtime. A regional SVT specialist gets back to you with a concrete next step.
A regional SVT specialist will review your request and get back to you by email within 24 hours with a concrete next step.