Bonn-based TGE Marine Gas Engineering said it would design and supply the cargo handling system for Crowley’s large LNG bunkering barge that will go on charter to a unit of energy giant Shell.
TGE Marine, a part of Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding, said in a statement it won the contract from US-based Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding. The latter started building the 12,000-cbm barge in January this year.
Under the contract, TGE Marine will design and supply the cargo handling system, including two 6,000-cbm bi-lobe type C LNG tanks, for the 126.8 meters long barge.
The cargo handling system will enable the barge to load LNG from a supply terminal and transfer the LNG to other vessels using a ship-to-ship transfer system.
TGE Marine did not provide the value of the contract.
Fincantieri Marine Group’s yard, which is the US division of Italian Fincantieri, previously said this is the largest LNG bunkering barge ever built in the US and the biggest Jones Act-compliant vessel of its kind.
Shell NA LNG will use the vessel to fuel LNG-powered ships that call on ports on the US East Coast starting in 2024.