Crowley Maritime Corporation has signed a long-term charter with Shell for the construction and operation of an LNG bunker barge.
The vessel will be built at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin in the USA. The 416-ft (126.8-m) barge will be able to deliver LNG to various types of LNG containment systems, the companies said.
Upon completion, Crowley said that the barge will be the largest Jones Act-compliant vessel of its kind and will help to expand current network capacity and meet demands for cleaner energy.
Crowley said it expect the vessel to be deployed on the US East Coast starting in 2024.
Tucker Gilliam, vice president at Crowley Shipping, said: “Orders for ships fuelled by LNG continue to rise, and the vessel will provide Shell an innovative and reliable service to meet demands for more sustainable energy sources.”
