Shipbuilding News September 2021

Crowley, Shell partnering on new LNG bunker barge
Crowley Maritime has announced plans to build and operate the largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering barge in the Jones Act trade.

Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding will construct the 416-foot barge, which will operate under a long-term time charter to Shell NA LNG. According to Crowley, the barge will be deployed starting in 2024 to bunker ships calling on the East Coast of the United States.

“The new bunker barge will extend Crowley’s commitment to deliver cleaner, innovative solutions to help the shipping industry continue on the path to decarbonization,” Tucker Gilliam, vice president of Crowley Shipping, said in a prepared statement. “Orders for ships fueled by liquefied natural gas continue to rise, and the vessel will provide Shell an innovative and reliable service to meet demands for more sustainable energy sources.”

More details on the project can be found here.

 

Maersk orders containerships capable of running on methanol
A.P. Moller-Maersk has announced plans to build eight large oceangoing containerships capable of running on clean-burning methanol, with options for four additional ships. The vessels will be able to carry 16,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).

The announcement signals a new front in the shipping industry’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The vessels will be flagged overseas and built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea.

Maersk noted that more than 100 of its largest customers have already set or are working to set zero-carbon goals for their supply chains. These new carbon-neutral ships would support those efforts.

“Methanol is a simple, safe liquid fuel, miscible in water, and is plentiful, available globally (and) price competitive to MGO (marine gas oil),” the Methanol Institute, an international trade group, states on its website. “It works with existing engine technologies as a drop-in or a dual fuel. It also complies with IMO 2020, providing a pathway to IMO 2030 and 2050. It requires only minor modifications to current bunkering infrastructure.”

Maersk intends to operate the dual-fuel ships on methanol as soon as possible but acknowledged sourcing the fuel could be a challenge initially. The company said it is working on partnerships to ensure a steady supply of the fuel.

More details on the project can be found here.

 

Michigan pilots order launch from Gladding-Hearn
The Lake Pilots Association has ordered a new launch from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding.

The 42.5-foot rigid-bottom, soft-sided boat will be the third Resilient-class launch delivered to the Port Huron, Mich., pilotage group since 1979.

The vessel will be powered by Cummins diesel engines and HamiltonJet jet drives, with a Zipwake interceptor trim control system installed on the transom. Its projected top speed will exceed 32 knots.

Click here for more details on the project, including other components and outfitting planned for the vessel.

 

SAFE Boats partners with UK firm on offshore wind vessels
SAFE Boats International of Bremerton, Wash., has announced a partnership with Diverse Marine on crew transfer vessels (CTVs) designed to service offshore wind turbines.

“SAFE Boats and Diverse Marine both have long histories of delivering robust, reliable solutions for government and commercial customers around the globe,” Richard Schwarz, CEO of SAFE Boats, said in a prepared statement. “This agreement now brings the complementary experience of our two industry-leading companies to the emerging U.S. offshore wind market.”

Ben Colman, director of Diverse Marine, said the United Kingdom-based company will share its designs and lend marketing and production support to SAFE Boats for construction principally of offshore wind CTVs, but the agreement “can be extended to any vessel (in) our portfolio.”

Offshore wind continues to show tremendous promise for American shipyards, and multiple new CTV projects are expected to be announced in the coming months.

More details on the partnership can be found here.

By Professional Mariner Staff