TGE Marine Gas Engineering GmbH, the leading provider of liquefied gas systems for cargo-handling and tanks, has won a contract for a 12,000 cubic metres capacity LNG bunkering barge.
The cargo was awarded by Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding located in Surgeon Bay in the US state of Wisconsin.
The work will be carried out on behalf of US-based shipping company Crowley Maritime, based in Jacksonville, Florida, and after delivery the vessel will operate under a long-term charter with Shell North America LNG.
Scope of the contract includes the design and supply of the cargo-handling system, including two 6,000 cubic metres capacity bilobe Type-C tanks designed to transport LNG.
“The cargo-handling system will enable the barge to load LNG from a supply terminal and transfer the LNG to the clients´ vessels using a ship-to-ship transfer system,” explained TGE.
“During transit the cargo can be kept in its liquid state at ambient pressure through the use of a chiller unit,” the company added.
The company says its design expertise is based on extensive engineering experience within the small-scale LNG carrier, bunker vessel, FSRU and fuel-gas system markets.
US East Coast
The 12,000 cubic metres LNG bunkering barge will be the largest of its kind built in the United States when delivered and is expected to start operations along the US East Coast in 2024.
“The maritime transport sector is quickly moving towards decarbonisation and compared to traditional fuels LNG offers a great opportunity to reduce carbon emissions,” stated TGE.
“The use of LNG as a fuel within the maritime industry has seen significant growth over the last years with around 30 percent of the worldwide order book currently based on LNG as fuel,” added TGE.
The TGE company is based in Bonn, Germany, and has an operational office in Shanghai, China.
It has so far delivered more than 250 projects to a variety of renowned ship owners and shipyards.
Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding is a full service shipyard for the Great Lakes area specializing in construction, repair, conversion and sustainment of commercial vessels, including articulated tug barge units, barges, dredges, ferries, platform support vessels and other specialty ships.
