Permitting process / requirements

This LAP refers to the permitting process and requirements for on one hand the drivers/transporting company and on the other hand the equipment (trailer). It defines what certification is needed for a driver/transporting company to transport hydrogen on public roads and which authority is competent to deliver the certification. It also gives information about the requirements needed for an equipment to be allowed to transport hydrogen on public roads, and if there is any specific approval required for the equipment.

Glossary:

The Permitting process is a process in which an applicant files forms to a (regulatory) agency/competent authority with required narratives, maps, etc., to ensure in advance that the proposed operation will be in compliance with the applicable standards. Permitting requirements are the legal (regulations and standards) requirements.
An internal safety distance is the minimal separation distance between a potential hazard source (e.g. equipment involving dangerous substances) and an object (human, equipment or environment), which will mitigate the effect of a likely foreseeable incident and prevent a minor incident escalating into a larger incident (also known as domino effect).

Pan-European Assessment:

The permitting process and requirements for the drivers/transporting company and the equipment (trailer) are well harmonized in Europe, because all countries follow the ADR regulation. As restrictions applied to hydrogen are the same as for any other flammable gas, most of the countries don’t see this LAP as a barrier

select country:

Is it a barrier?

Assessment Severity

Assessment

This LAP has no specific impact as, the only legislation to be applied is the national legislation on conception of the storage tanks, bottles or vessels of the road transport trucks.

Questions:

Question 1 Drivers/transporting company: a - What certification is needed for a driver/transporting company to transport hydrogen on public roads?

a - The driver needs to have a “licence” as “driver for the transport of dangerous goods” with a speciality on H2. That means he has been trained on the specific risks of gaseous or liquid H2.

Question 1 Drivers/transporting company: b - Which authority is competent to deliver the certification?

b - The approvals needed for the bottles, cylinders and vessels storing the H2 on the road transport trucks need to be approved according to national regulation applicable on these equipment. .

Question 2 Equipment (e.g. trailer): a - What are the requirements needed for equipment to be allowed to transport hydrogen on public roads?

a- The transporting company needs an approval of their transporting vehicles, especially the transporting vessels, cylinders or bottles.

Question 2 Equipment (e.g. trailer): b - Is any specific approval required for the equipment to be allowed to transport hydrogen (gas/liquid)?

b- The approvals needed for the bottles, cylinders and vessels storing the H2 on the road transport trucks according to national regulations applicable to these equipment and transposing ADR and TPED.

National legislation:

Norme NF EN 13445 : “Récipients sous pression non soumis à la flamme” – “French Standard NF EN 13445: pressure vessels non submitted to a flame”
This standard gives general advices and guidelines for the construction and control procedures for pressure vessels used in the road transport for dangerous goods. The ADR agreement is referring to this standard for the construction of these pressure vessels in France.

EU Legislation:

Directive 2008/68/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 2008 on the inland transport of dangerous goods.
Extends the uniform rules of ADR to national transport.

Article 5

Restrictions on grounds of transport safety

1. Member States may on grounds of transport safety apply more stringent provisions, with the exception of construction requirements, concerning the national transport of dangerous goods by vehicles, wagons and inland waterway vessels registered or put into circulation within their territory.
Directive 2004/54/EC of 29. April 2004 Minimal safety requirements for tunnels in the trans-European roads.
The Directive applies to tunnels of more than 500 meters, in the Trans-European Road Network- TERN), included in the EEC agreement from 1999. It specifies both technical and operational requirements, and has been implemented in Norway (with some adjustments) through the Regulation on minimum safety requirements for certain tunnels [Forskrift om minimum sikkerhetskrav til visse vegtunneler (tunnelsikkerhetsforskriften)] of 15.05.07. Annex 1 is on safety measures, and chapter 3.7 of this annex, specifies such measures with respect to the transport of dangerous goods.
Directive 2010/35/EU, the Transportable Pressure Equipment Directive (TPED)
The Directive applies to the design, manufacture, conformity assessment and periodic reassessment of transportable cylinders, tubes, cryogenic vessels and tanks for transporting gases as well as hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen fluoride and hydrofluoric acid. It also covers their associated valves and other pressure equipment. The Directive defines 3 categories for pressure equipment, based on its pressure volume product (P.V) in bar litres and hence its stored energy
ADR European Agreement concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by roads.
hazardous materials may in general be transported internationally in wheeled vehicles, provided that conditions be met for the product packaging and labelling; and that the construction, equipment, and use of vehicles for the transport is compliant: