The second of four tankers built to be ready for liquefied natural gas propulsion was christened Feb. 4 by Crowley Maritime Corp. at the South Florida Petroleum Terminal in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
The 600’x105’x40’, 50,000-dwt tanker Texas, with its 330,000-bbl. capacity, joins sistership Ohio, which was christened by Crowley in November. They are the first tankers to receive the American Bureau of Shipping’s (ABS) LNG-Ready Level 1 approval, giving Crowley has the option to convert the vessels to LNG propulsion in the future.
Like the Ohio, the Texas was built by PSINC (formerly known as Aker Philadelphia Shipyard), with construction management services provided by Crowley’s Seattle-based, naval architecture and marine engineering subsidiary Jensen Maritime. PSINC is building the next two vessels in the series, planned for delivery later in 2016.
Crowley’s new class is based on a proven Hyundai Mipo Dockyards (HMD) design which incorporates numerous fuel efficiency features, flexible cargo capability, and the latest regulatory requirements. The tankers are capable of carrying crude oil or refined petroleum products.
Crowley is among a small but growing group of U.S. operators who have adopted or are positioning themselves for LNG propulsion, to take advantage of lower emissions and low fuel costs. At the Florida christening representatives from Crowley and SeaRiver Maritime, Houston, which is chartering the vessel, watched Doris Evans, wife of Eric Evans, vice president, planning for Crowley’s petroleum services group, break the champagne bottle.
Rob Grune, senior vice president and general manager, petroleum services for Crowley, called the Texas an “industry defining vessel.”
“Not only will this be a high -performance vessel capable of meeting or exceeding our customers’ petroleum transportation needs within the U.S.-coastwise trade, it will do so in a way that is more environmentally friendly than those that have come before her,” Grune said in a statement.
