ABS to class LNG bunker barge for WesPac Midstream and Clean Marine Energy
ABS, a leading provider of classification services to the global marine and offshore industries, has been selected to class an LNG bunker barge under construction at Conrad Orange Shipyard, Inc, a division of Conrad Shipyard, LLC, for WesPac Midstream LLC and Clean Marine Energy LLC (CME).
The 2,200 cu m barge is scheduled for delivery in mid-2016 and will initially be deployed in Tacoma, Wash., to service shipowner Totem Ocean Trailer Express’s (Totem Ocean) Orca Class ro-ro vessels. The unit will then be relocated to Jacksonville, Fla., to serve parent company TOTE’s Marlin Class dual-fuel container vessels and other LNG-powered vessels in the Port of Jacksonville.
“ABS continues to be instrumental in supporting the supply chain development for LNG as fuel in North America,” says ABS Chairman, President and CEO, Christopher J. Wiernicki. “Our work with industry, regulators and local stakeholders seeks to safely nurture innovation and helps to reduce the impact of maritime activity on the environment.”
Designed by Bristol Harbor Group Inc, the barge features a single tank equipped with the Mark III Flex cargo containment system supplied by GTT North America. The barge will also feature the GTT-developed REACH4 bunker mast to ensure safe and efficient transfer of LNG fuel to the receiving vessel.
WesPac/CME plans to exercise its options with Conrad to construct additional LNG bunker barges to serve other North American ports.
A pioneer in the safe transport and handling of gas, ABS classed the world’s first LNG carrier, the "Methane Pioneer", in 1959 and has extensive experience with the full scope of gas-related assets, including the largest LNG carriers in service. In 2013 ABS formed the Global Gas Solutions Team in response to the rapid escalation in the number of gas-related projects, including LNG and LPG transportation and the growing use of LNG and LPG as fuels.
About ABS
Founded in 1862, ABS is a leading international classification society devoted to promoting the security of life and property and preserving the natural environment through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine and offshore assets.
