General Dynamics NASSCO and TOTE say the second 764’ liquid natural gas fueled container ship for TOTE’s Sea Star Line is scheduled to launch Aug. 29 at the NASSCO shipyard in San Diego.
Built for the Jacksonville, Fla., to San Juan, Puerto Rico, trade, the first Marlin-class LNG ship, the Isla Bella, was launched in April.
As at the April launch, NASSCO and the Saltchuk group, TOTE’s parent company, are promising to throw a party open to the general public for the evening launch, complete with fireworks.
The U.S. Maritime Administration has a keen interest in promoting new propulsion technologies with lower emissions and domestic fuel sources, and so underwrote the TOTE project with a $324.6 million loan guarantee. In April, MARAD Administrator Paul “Chip” Jaenichen hailed both the launch of the Isla Bella and the first of Harvey Gulf International Marine’s six planned LNG fueled OSVs.
“From coast to coast, MARAD is working diligently with stakeholders to promote adoption of advanced maritime technologies and best practices to reduce costs, minimize the maritime industry’s environmental footprint, and improve long-term sustainability in the maritime industry,” Jaenichen said. Those new technologies could include hydrogen fuel cells for electrical power and refrigeration, hybrid electric propulsion, biofuels and solar and wind energy for vessels, he said.
