On 3 November 3 Crowley Maritime Corp. christened the first of four new Jones Act product tankers at the Tampa Cruise Terminal.
The 50,000dwt 330,000-barrel-capacity ship Ohio is the first tanker ever to receive the American Bureau of Shipping’s (ABS) LNG-Ready Level 1 approval, meaning Crowley has the option to convert the tanker to liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion in the future.
Over 100 guests watched as Pamela Beall, president of MPLX, a Marathon Petroleum Corporation subsidiary, performed the traditional christening by breaking a ceremonial bottle of champagne across the hull of the vessel.
Ohio was built by Aker Philadelphia Shipyard, Inc. (APSI), the wholly-owned US subsidiary of Aker Philadelphia Shipyard ASA, with construction management services provided by Crowley’s Seattle-based, naval architecture and marine engineering subsidiary Jensen Maritime.
The remaining three product tankers are also being built by APSI for Crowley and have planned deliveries through 2016.
The new tankers are based on a proven Hyundai Mipo Dockyards (HMD) design which incorporates numerous fuel efficiency features, flexible cargo capability and the latest regulatory requirements. Ohio is 600ft long and is capable of carrying crude oil or refined petroleum products.
