Energy giant Shell has started using Q-LNG’s first newbuild vessel following delivery at the VT Halter Marine yard in Pascagoula.
Q-LNG, owned by Harvey Gulf’s CEO Shane Guidry, and Shell’s US trading unit said Wednesday in a joint statement the Q-LNG 4000 is ready for use.
The vessel now becomes the first offshore LNG articulated tug and barge in America.
Designed to provide ship-to-ship transfers to vessels utilizing LNG and ship-to-shore transfers to small-scale marine distribution infrastructure, the ATB is an integral part of the LNG infrastructure along the southeast US coast.
Furthermore, the barge complements Shell’s existing global network of six LNG bunkering vessels to meet the growing global demand for cleaner maritime fuels.
“Shell has an ambition to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050 or sooner, in step with society, and we are working hard to deliver the kind of solutions our customers need now to help them decarbonize,” said Karrie Trauth, general manager for shipping and maritime, Americas.
“LNG is an important part of the solution today, and I’m proud that this vessel will effectively double the number of LNG bunker vessels in the US and making it possible for us to continue to help others accelerate their own transition,” Trauth said.
To remind, the Shell-chartered vessel completed sea trials in November last year followed by gas trials.
With a carrying capacity of up to 4,000 cubic meters of LNG, the barge has dimensions of
324 by 64 by 32.6 feet while the tug has dimensions of 128 by 42 by 21 feet.