Crowley tanker first to get ABS LNG-Ready approval

The LNG-Ready Level 1 approval was issued, along with an approval in principle, for the recently delivered Ohio, the first vessel in a series built by Aker Philadelphia Shipyard and operated by Crowley Maritime Corporation.

By achieving compliance with the ABS Guide for LNG Fuel Ready Vessels, Crowley has the option to convert the product tankers in the series to LNG fueled propulsion at a later date having already been granted a conceptual review.

“ABS has played a fundamental role in supporting the ambitions of the maritime industry as it moves to embrace the opportunity of LNG as fuel,” says ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki. “This milestone builds upon our work to provide owners with the guidance and support they need to move ahead with shipbuilding projects that allow them the flexibility to respond to changes over the lifetime of their vessels.”

ABS published the Guide for LNG Fuel Ready Vessels in 2014. The LNG-Ready endorsements allow shipowners and yards the flexibility to limit their initial investment while planning for the future conversion to dual fuel or gas-powered combustion engines. A well-thought-out plan can prepare shipowners to face ever-increasing stricter environmental regulations as well as help save time and money by considering basic gas-fueled ship requirements during the preliminary design and minimizing the potential changes during the future conversion.

“Crowley is proud to be the first company to actually receive this designation from ABS,” says Rob Grune, SVP and general manager petroleum services for Crowley. “As our business continues to shape itself to better meet the requirements of our customers, these vessels that stand ready and able to operate on a cleaner, alternative fuel source are our way of anticipating future demands.”

“Working with ABS and Crowley to build the first LNG-Ready product tanker has been a valuable process and has allowed the shipyard to deliver a vessel with the flexibility to evolve in the future” says Scott Clapham, SVP of Aker Philadelphia Shipyard.

VIDEO: Crowley’s LNG fueled ConRo now 25% complete

 

First steel for the ship was cut in October 2014 and it is now 25 percent complete.

“Week by week, we have watched the pair of Commitment Class ships begin to take shape,” said John Hourihan, senior vice president and general manager, Puerto Rico/Caribbean liner services. “It’s been incredible to watch. Once fully constructed, these new vessels will embody superior technology and construction and, while we are anxious to get them into service for our partners in Puerto Rico, we are thrilled that they are coming together on schedule.”

“The entire team at VT Halter Marine is pleased and proud to be partnered with Crowley in the construction of these magnificent ships,” said VT Halter Marine President and CEO Jack Prendergast. “It is a pleasure to see the hard work of the Crowley/Halter team come to fruition.”

The ships will be 219.5 meters long, 32.3 meters wide (beam), have a deep draft of 10 meters, and an approximate deadweight capacity of 26,500 metric tons.Cargo capacity will be approximately 2,400 TEUs (20-foot-equivalent-units), with additional space for nearly 400 vehicles in an enclosed Roll-on/Roll-off garage.

Each ship will be powered by an MAN B&W 8S70ME-GI8.2 main engine and three MAN 9L28/32DF auxiliary engines fueled by LNG.

The ship design is provided by Wärtsilä Ship Design in conjunction with Crowley subsidiary Jensen Maritime, a leading Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm.

The Commitment Class, Jones Act ships will replace Crowley’s towed triple-deck barge fleet, which has served the trade continuously and with distinction since the early 1970s. These new ships will offer customers fast ocean transit times, while accommodating the company’s diverse equipment selection and cargo handling flexibility. El Coquí and Taíno are scheduled for delivery second and fourth quarter 2017 respectively.

Designing, building and operating LNG-powered vessels is in line with Crowley’s overall EcoStewardship positioning and growth strategy. The company formed an LNG services group earlier this year to bring together the company’s extensive resources to provide LNG vessel design and construction management; transportation; product sales and distribution, and full-scale, project management solutions.

Crowley helps provide LNG training in Jacksonville

The the first-of-its-kind training was developed by the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) in conjunction with the Florida State College  specifically for Port of Jacksonville stakeholders including Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Departments, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville and area law enforcement.

The Jacksonville Marine Transportation Exchange (JMTX) worked closely with U.S. Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville to seek out potential members of the funding collaborative and get support from representatives of the local Area Contingency Planning (ACP) community.

Crowley was one of several Gas Technology Institute (GTI) funding collaborators taking part. As Crowley currently supplies LNG to Puerto Rico via barge and will take delivery of two LNG fueled ConRo ships in 2017, the company was proactive in participating in the training endeavor.

“As a company, we take safety very seriously,” said Crowley VP Cole Cosgrove. “As we and other companies in the Jacksonville area continue to embrace the LNG market, it’s of utmost importance that we work with our local community to make sure we are all educated in safe handling of this new, environmentally beneficial marine fuel. This training was a first step to ensure all stakeholders have a unified approach to emergency response and clean-up should we ever experience an incident.”

Training attendees were introduced to the basic characteristics and properties of LNG, its usefulness as a fuel, its hazards and safety precautions to take when working around the product. The group also learned basic and advanced firefighting techniques including identification of ignition sources, and what types of extinguishing agents exist and when to use them in varying situations.

On completion, attendees satisfied basic LNG awareness  requirements as defined by the U.S. Coast Guard’s Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW).

“The goal of this training is to keep the excellent safety record maintained by the marine transport of LNG in the past and apply it to the safe bunkering process as we fuel new LNG fueled vessels into the future,” said Mark Marien, Crowley’s manager, regulatory training.

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