Construction has started on the largest-ever LNG bunkering barge in the US, at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Wisconsin.
The project has been undertaken on behalf of shipping and fuelling firm Crowley. The first piece of steel for the vessel was cut at Fincantieri’s facility in Sturgeon Bay in the northwest of Lake Michigan on January 6.
“We are excited to get this project started, and equally pleased that it builds on our relationship with Crowley and Shell,” said Craig Perciavalle, Vice President & General Manager of Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding. “Our team is committed to giving our customers the best value, and we are happy to get started on this important project.”
Largest Jones Act-compliant vessel of its kind
The new vessel will be 416 feet in length and will have the capacity for 12,000 cubic metres of LNG. Once complete it will be the largest Jones Act-compliant vessel of its kind, and the second Jones Act-compliant bunker barge Shell has under charter in the country.
Dario Deste, head of Fincantieri’s U.S. operations, said the team working on the project had “done a tremendous job of managing the build cycles of several large and important vessels during the pandemic. Even with COVID-related supply chain challenges globally, we continue to meet our customers’ timelines. Delivering on schedule is a point of pride for Fincantieri.”
In 2020, the Shipbuilders Council of America recognized Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding as one of the safest U.S. shipyards.
Landmark vessel
Crowley is the largest independent operator of tank vessels in the US and will operate the vessel under a long-term charter with Shell NA LNG.
“In partnership with Shell, this vessel will expand the availability of LNG to vessels and help advance the transition to lower-emission fuels as the industry seeks to reduce emissions,” Tucker Gilliam, vice president, Crowley Shipping, said. “We congratulate the men and women of Bay Shipbuilding on the start of this innovative, landmark vessel that will help the maritime industry meet demand for cleaner operations with reduced emissions.”
Tahir Faruqui, general manager, Global DLNG for Shell, also applauded the start of fabrication, stating that the bunker vessel would “support the shipping sector’s continued progress toward decarbonization”.
