Crowley christens double hull Alaska tank barges

Crowley Maritime Corporation has christened two new double-hulled petroleum tank barges, the 165-1 and 165-2, in a small ceremony at shipbuilder Dakota Creek Industries in Anacortes, Wash. The vessels, which are the first double-hulled, environmentally friendly barges of their kind to operate in Western Alaska waters, will join Crowley’s 180-1, a double-hull barge that has serviced Alaska since 2005.

The hull was rigorously designed for use in Western Alaska, with the highest priority given for the safety of the personnel and the environment. Crowley says it  is the only company bringing the safer double-hull vessels to Alaska without any regulatory requirement, because as Crowley Senior Vice President and General Manager Rocky Smith said, “It’s just the right thing to do.”

“The delivery and deployment of these barges gives Crowley the opportunity to better serve the Alaska market with the enhanced design features that are built into these vessels,” said Bob Cox, Crowley’s vice president of petroleum distribution. “This exemplifies our commitment to moving petroleum and petroleum products efficiently and safely.”

During the christening, held Saturday, vessel sponsors Janis Ivanoff, president of Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation, and Debra Shontz, director, Barrow operations for Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, performed the time-honored tradition of christening the vessels. Twenty guests, including friends and employees from Crowley and its Jensen Maritime subsidiary attended the event. A celebratory lunch reception followed in the nearby Majestic Inn and Spa.

“This event was an opportunity for us to celebrate these two amazing vessels and the company’s continued commitment to safe petroleum delivery in these waterways,” Cox. “This special day gave us the chance to also thank our customers, Dakota Creek and the architects and employees who have each helped to make these barges a reality.”

The 165-1 and 165-2 will depart this week for their homeport of Nome, Alaska. The double-hull barges will be used for shallow-draft operations and beach landings for the delivery of fuel and cargo to the remote communities of Western Alaska.

The vessels’ concept design was developed by Crowley’s vessel management services team, which worked closely with Crowley’s Alaska operations. Dakota Creek built the barges, and Crowley’s Jensen Maritime provided the engineering support to the shipyard for the final detailed design.

May 11, 2011