Page 36: of Marine News Magazine (February 2020)

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ATBs

Credit: Moran Towing

LNG bunkering solutions to NorthStar’s customers.” contract with Shell Trading (U.S.) Company to deliver

The yard’s CEO, Todd Thayse, told Marine News, “En- LNG as a fuel source to various ports in Florida and the try into the U.S. LNG transportation vessel market has Caribbean.” The yard has also been discussing a second, been a strategic interest of our organization. As domestic larger 8,000-cubic-meter barge with Q-LNG. natural gas continues to rise, LNG has quickly become Historically, VT Halter, with its Pascagoula, Miss. loca- both a clean and competitively priced fuel alternative. tion, has been very active building ATBs, including the

More and more domestic industries are looking to LNG 650 Class series for Crowley Maritime (10,500-horsepower as their future fuel source, and we are extremely excited to tugs/178,000-barrel cargo capacity), for Bouchard Trans- be able to construct vessels that help our customers deliver portation, and a handful of units for OSG, including the

LNG to parts of the United States in both an economical vessels above. and safe manner.” He added, “Partnering with NorthStar Fincantieri’s Bay Shipbuilding has built ATBs for lead- and its af? liate companies on their latest project gives us ers in the petroleum trades. Recently, ATBs have been de- the opportunity to be part of this exciting emerging indus- livered to Kirby Corporation (6,000-horsepwer tugs and try and related market growth. The project draws upon 155,000-barrel barges,) including Paul McLernan men- the expertise of Fincantieri and allows us to bring our own tioned above. Moran Transportation has also built units designs to the LNG market.” at the yard, including the two mentioned earlier. In prior

ATB con? gurations are being used elsewhere in the years, barges with 150,000-barrel capacity were delivered

LNG realm. Q-LNG, a company owned by Harvey Gulf to U.S. Shipping Corp. (Petrochem Producer, Petrochem

CEO Shane Guidry, is building the tug/barge combina- Trader, Petrochem Supplier). A new entrant to the trans- tion Q- Ocean Service/Q-LNG 4000 (4,000 cubic me- port arena is WAWA, the convenience mart chain, which ters), which will be delivered from VT Halter Marine in uses its 2017-built tug Millville (8,000 horsepower)/ barge early 2020. The barge will be used for bunkering LNG fu- 1964 (185,000 barrels) to deliver gasoline from re? neries eled cruise and commercial vessels. According to the com- in Texas to outlets in Florida. pany, its trade will be “…commencing with a long-term Elsewhere on the Lakes, VanEnkevort Tug & Barge, Inc

February 2020 36 MN