Page 44: of Marine News Magazine (May 2026)

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Vessels

C&C Lays Keel for Hybrid Escort Tugs

State of Louisiana, Woodside Energy, and Green Tug Tow- ing. The centuries-old maritime tradition of welding coins into a vessel’s keel symbolizes good fortune for the ship and safety for its crew and marks the formal beginning of a vessel’s life.

Next-Gen Hybrid Vessels Built for LNG Operations

The four GTT vessels will be built to Robert Allan Ltd.’s

RApport 2800H design — one of the most advanced es- cort tug platforms available — speci? cally engineered to meet the safety, maneuverability, and environmental re- quirements of modern LNG terminal operations. The tugs will feature advanced diesel-electric hybrid propulsion sys- tems that deliver meaningful reductions in fuel consump- tion and emissions during standby, harbor transit, and low-speed maneuvering, alongside high-performance in- direct steering forces and bollard pull engineered to safely handle the world’s largest LNG carriers.

“These are among the most sophisticated vessels ever built at our shipyard, and our team is ready for it,” Cibil-

C&C Marine and Repair held a keel laying ceremony ich added. “We’ve spent nearly three decades building the at its Belle Chasse shipyard, marking a milestone in a new people, the facilities, and the engineering depth to take series of four advanced hybrid escort tugs being built for on programs of this scale. We’re proud to build these tugs

Green Tug Towing (GTT). The vessels will support LNG in Louisiana and to be part of a project that will power carrier operations at Woodside Energy’s Louisiana LNG America’s energy future for decades to come.”

C&C Marine and Repair is purpose-built for complex, terminal in Calcasieu Parish.

The GTT series joins a separate series of four hybrid multi-vessel programs. Founded in 1997 as a 5,000-square- escort tugs already under construction at C&C, bringing foot repair shop on the Harvey Canal, the company has the shipyard’s active tugboat program to a total of eight grown and now spans more than 100 acres in Belle Chasse with 3,200 linear feet of continuous waterfront along the vessels. Together, the two programs contribute to Wood- side and its contractors having committed more than $1 Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and more than 540,000 square billion to Louisiana suppliers in support of the Louisiana feet of fully enclosed fabrication space.

The shipyard sports indoor construction, an onsite team

LNG project.

of marine architects, engineers, and welders. A patented

The keel laying ceremony brought together key stake- robotic blast facility operating 24/7 and an automated holders and industry leaders, including Louisiana Gov- ernor Jeff Landry; Louisiana Economic Development panel line round out the production infrastructure, sup-

Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois; Woodside Executive Vice porting C&C’s track record of delivering vessels on time and on budget.

President and Chief Operating Of? cer International Dan-

With design work for the GTT series now advancing to- iel Kalms; Green Tug Towing President Thomas Springer; and Tony Cibilich, President and Owner of C&C Marine ward full production, delivery of the vessels is scheduled for 2028 to support Woodside Louisiana LNG’s targeted ? rst and Repair.

LNG production in 2029. The tugs will operate under a 20-

To commemorate the occasion, Governor Landry weld- ed four specially minted doubloons into the keel — one year services contract to provide LNG carrier berthing, un- for each project partner: C&C Marine and Repair, the berthing, escort, standby, and emergency response services.

44 | MN May 2026