Christine Crowley Christened El Coqui to Serve Puerto Rico with Supply Chain and Shipping Solutions on 22 October 2018.
Crowley Maritime Corp’s Commitment class combination container/roll on-roll off ship El Coquí is among the first of its kind to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The ship is a key new component in Crowley’s supply chain transformation in the US mainland-Puerto Rico trade.
More than 350 people, including White House officials, US congressional members and representatives from shipbuilder VT Halter Marine and Eagle LNG, joined Crowley employees, vessel crew members and other industry and union representatives to celebrate this milestone.
Crowley Board of Directors Member Christine Crowley, spouse of Chairman and CEO Tom Crowley, served as sponsor, performing the tradition of breaking a champagne bottle over the hull of the 720ft vessel at the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal in Jacksonville, Fla.
El Coquí, which arrived in San Juan on her maiden voyage 30 July 2018, is 219.5m (720ft), 26,500dwt, and able to transport up to 2,400 TEUs at a cruising speed of 22 knots.
The ship can accommodate containers in a wide range of sizes and types – including 53ft by 102in-wide, high-capacity containers and refrigerated containers.
Within the ship is an enclosed, ventilated and weather-tight ro-ro deck that can protectively carry cars and larger vehicles. This type of shipboard garage is offered exclusively by Crowley in the trade, enhancing supply chain solutions for customers.
The ship is the first of two vessels built as part of Crowley’s Commitment class project. Her sister ship Taíno is in the final phases of construction and testing at VT Halter Marine’s shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss. She is expected to be delivered later this year.
