(NASSCO delivers Isla Bella 2 months ahead of time. She is the world’s first LNG fuelled box ship.)
The launching ceremony of the Isla Bella took place on 18th April 2015 at the company’s shipyard in San Diego. The christening and launching ceremony also commemorated NASSCO’s 100th ship launch. As a part of the two-ship contract signed in 2012, the ship is built for TOTE Maritime.
General Dynamics NASSCO delivered the 764-foot long Marlin Class box ship Isla Bella, 2- months ahead of delivery date and affirmed that this would be the world’s first LNG powered container ship that would ‘dramatically decrease emissions and increase fuel efficiency’.
The ship is expected to dramatically decrease emissions and increase fuel efficiency in comparison to conventionally-powered ships. This would be equal to removing nearly 15,700 automobiles from the road. TOTE, NASSCO, ABS and USCG were part of the collaborating and designing team that approved the ship’s design, construction and commissioning process.
The new ship will operate in the Jacksonville, Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico route. This was the operating route of an older TOTE ship “El Faro”. She was lost at sea with the crew on October 1, 2015, after losing propulsion during Hurricane Joaquin.
Source: Nassco
