Crowley Maritime Corporation christened the third of four new LNG-ready Jones Act product tankers at a May 5 ceremony at the Julia Street Cruise Terminal in New Orleans.
The 600-foot-long, 50,000-dead-weight-ton (dwt), 330,000-barrel-capacity MT Louisiana is capable of carrying crude oil or refined petroleum products, as well as other chemical products for U.S. Coastwise trade.
The new vessel joins Crowley sister ships,
Ohio and
Texas, to be the first tankers ever to receive the American Bureau of Shipping’s LNG-Ready Level 1 approval, giving Crowley the option to convert the tanker to liquefied natural gas for propulsion in the future. The new tankers are based on a Hyundai Mipo Dockyards (HMD) design that incorporates numerous fuel efficiency features, flexible cargo capability and the latest regulatory requirements.
Louisiana was constructed by Philly Shipyard Inc., who also built Ohio and Texas, and is currently constructing the fourth and final vessel of the series due for delivery in the third quarter of 2016. Construction management services were provided by Crowley’s marine solutions group.
In attendance at the christening ceremony were representatives of the vessel’s charterer Marathon Petroleum Corporation, as well as shipbuilder Philly Shipyard Inc. Carrie Templin, wife of Don Templin, Marathon executive vice president, christened Louisiana by breaking a ceremonial bottle of champagne across its hull.
“This is a great day of celebration for Crowley, Marathon, Philly Shipyard and all the people who had a role in bringing this great ship to life,” said Tom Crowley, company chairman and CEO. “We also celebrate the men and women seafarers who will be counted on to operate her safely and reliably for our customer, Marathon. There is nothing more important.”
“The christening underscores our continued commitment to building and operating innovative vessels that deliver the best possible service and efficiency for our customers who depend on us for safe and reliable transportation of petroleum products,” said Rob Grune, senior vice president and general manager, petroleum services. “And, as is the case with its sister ships, we designed and built the Louisiana to have the capability to be converted to LNG propulsion in the future, increasing the likelihood of a long service life as new emissions regulations are developed in the years ahead.”