Americas News
Crowley Orders Product Tankers with LNG Fuel Potential
Crowley Maritime Corporation (Crowley) says it has ordered up to eight product tankers that will have the potential to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the future.
Crowley has contracted with Aker Philadelphia Shipyard Inc. (APSI) to build the first four vessels, with delivery scheduled in 2015 and 2016, and the two parties have agreed on options for four more tankers to be delivered by the end of 2017.
The 50,000 dead-weight-tonne (dwt) ships are based on a Hyundai Mipo Dockyards (HMD) design with a number of fuel efficiency features, as well as flexible cargo capacity, and they will offer the possibility of switching to LNG fuel.
"The shale revolution is creating industrial opportunities throughout the United States and specifically here in Philadelphia," said Kristian Rokke, president and CEO of APSI.
"We are pleased to expand our partnership with a first-class operator like Crowley to help meet the nation's longstanding goal of energy security."
Johan Sperling, vice president of Crowley's Jensen Maritime unit, recently said U.S. companies are likely to move toward the use of LNG-powered tugboats, but that development depends on the availability of an LNG bunkering infrastructure.
