Americas News
ABS to Class First U.S. LNG Bunker Barges
LNG America, a year-old company that plans to distribute liquefied natural gas (LNG) to high-horsepower markets, says it has chosen the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) to class its first LNG bunker barges.
"ABS has watched ship propulsion move from wind to coal, from coal to oil, and now from oil to natural gas," said Keith Meyer, president and CEO of LNG America.
"They are well situated to help us usher in a new era of clean domestic fuel."
The barges will be the first of their kind and will allow ship owners and charterers to receive LNG bunkers in the same way they receive fuel oil now.
"We are looking forward to working with LNG America on North America's first LNG bunker barges," said Jim Watson, president and chief operations officer of ABS Americas.
"These units will be the first of many that will be required if our industry is going to support the transition to LNG as a fuel for the ships entering US ports."
Crowley Maritime Corp. division Jensen Maritime, which is designing the new barges, said in February that it expects the 3,000 cubic meter-capacity ships to be delivered in late 2015.
The ships will move LNG from a supply source in Louisiana to coastal-based storage and distribution terminals, as well as directly bunkering large ships.
