According to an article published in LNG Industry, Crowley Maritime Corp. and subsidiary Jensen Maritime, the company’s Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm, were recently honoured with the 2019 Significant Boat of the Year Award during the International Workboat Show in New Orleans.
Significant boat of the year
This award recognises the company’s industry-leading combination container/roll on-roll off (ConRo) ships, MV El Coquí and MV Taíno, the first of their kind to be powered by LNG. According to the statement, Workboat’s recognition of the ConRos as top among its annual Significant Boat honorees marks the first time that the award has been presented to a large, oceangoing container vessel.
Rob Grune, senior vice president and general manager, Crowley Shipping. “The award for Crowley’s LNG-powered ConRos comes on the heels of the successful closeout of our US$550 million investment to transform the way we service our cargo shipping and logistics customers.“
He further added, “These innovative vessels, the first of their kind to be powered by LNG, have greatly expanded the company’s US-flag cargo fleet and allow us to provide our customers with safe, reliable, fast cargo transportation services. They are a source of pride for us and for the men and women who designed, built and crew them.”
Development of commitment class vessels
Wärtsilä’s ship design team worked together with contributions from the Crowley/Jensen teams to successfully develop the Commitment Class vessels from the keel up to meet the specific needs of Crowley’s customers shipping cargo between the US mainland and Puerto Rico, the ships’ dedicated trade under the Jones Act. Crowley claims both vessels were built in the US at VT Halter Marine shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, with onsite construction management by Crowley, and were delivered in July and December 2018.
Cole Cosgrove, vice president, Crowley global ship management, said: “These vessels like the others nominated for the award are a testament to the strength and importance of the Jones Act. It’s important to recognise the risk that the owners of each of the nominated vessels took, and the ingenuity and skill provided by each of the engineering firms and shipyards that it took to bring these new ideas and concepts to life. American owned, built and operated still looks very promising.”
Enclosed ro-ro vessel
Crowley’s ConRo ships carry up to 2400 20-ft equivalent container units (TEUs) at a cruising speed of 22 knots, providing enhanced transit times of just over two days. An enclosed roll-on/roll-off garage has a capacity for 400 vehicles and other rolling stock.
Johan Sperling, vice president, Crowley and Jensen, said: “The Crowley and Jensen teams have received national recognition for innovative designs by WorkBoat over the years but being named as the top significant boat of the year is a true honour. Crowley’s team is proud to not only develop significant boats, but to also lead the industry with a variety of efforts – project management, ship management, construction management, and naval architecture and marine engineering services – all of which it takes to deliver on such a complex project.“
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Source: LNGIndustry
