On 15 AprilCrowley Maritime Corp. took delivery of Louisiana, the third of four new Jones Act product tankers being built for the company by Philly Shipyard, Inc. (PSI), the sole operating subsidiary of Philly Shipyard ASA. The delivery marks another highpoint for Crowley’s petroleum services group as its tankers are at the forefront of the industry for their potential future conversion to LNG propulsion.
The 50,000dwt Louisiana is capable of carrying 330,000 barrels of product, and is scheduled to be christened in New Orleans on 5 May. Crowley’s fourth product tanker is under construction at PSI, and delivery is planned for third quarter 2016.
Louisiana joins sisterships Ohio and Texas, which were received by Crowley in 2015 as the first-ever tankers to receive the American Bureau of Shipping’s (ABS) LNG-Ready Level 1 approval. The approval allows Crowley to convert the tanker to liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion in the future.
‘Louisiana’s delivery continues to enhance the services we are able to provide to our petroleum customers,’ said Crowley’s Rob Grune, senior vice president and general manager, petroleum services. ‘We celebrate new tonnage and the advanced technology, but most important to us and to our customers are the highly trained men and women of Crowley who are committed to transporting their fuel in the safest, most reliable way possible.’
The new 50,000dwt product tankers are based on a proven Hyundai Mipo Dockyards (HMD) design that incorporates numerous fuel efficiency features, flexible cargo capability and the latest regulatory requirements. The vessel is 600ft long and is capable of carrying crude oil or refined petroleum products, as well as various chemical cargoes.
