The following is the text of a news release from Crowley Maritime Corp.:
(PHILADELPHIA) — Crowley Maritime Corp. took delivery today 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 high point for Crowley’s petroleum services group as its tankers are at the forefront of the industry for their potential future conversion to LNG propulsion.
Louisiana, which is 50,000 deadweight tons (dwt) and capable of carrying 330,000 barrels of product, is scheduled to be christened in New Orleans on May 5. Crowley’s fourth product tanker is under construction at PSI, and delivery is planned for third quarter 2016.
Louisiana joins sister ships Ohio and Texas, which were received by Crowley in 2015 as the first 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.
“The 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.”
“Milestones like today show we can deliver solutions that reinforce the value of the Jones Act vessels and American-built and American-crewed trade,” Grune said.
The new 50,000-dwt 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 600 feet long and is capable of carrying crude oil or refined petroleum products, as well as various chemical cargoes.
“We are proud to deliver another Philly-born tanker, the shipyard’s fifth tanker for Crowley and 23rd vessel in total,” said Philly Shipyard’s President and CEO Steinar Nerbovik. “On behalf of the men and women who built her, we are honored knowing that the Louisiana will be another safe and quality addition to Crowley’s fleet that will serve its mariners and our nation’s waterways for decades to follow.”
