A new tug berth being built for the Shell-led LNG Canada export project will be ready in early 2024 to welcome a fleet of dual-fuel and electric tugs.
Construction of the tug berth facility started in early 2023 and is scheduled to be fully completed in early 2024, LNG Canada said in a statement issued last week.
Bridgemans Kitamaat Joint Venture, a Haisla Nation partnership, has secured the new engineering, procurement, and construction contract award which includes the installation of marine piles, floating docks, and a breakwater.
LNG Canada says the new tug berth is essential to operation of the escort tugs and harbor tugs that will provide ship-assist and escort towing services to LNG carriers calling at LNG Canada’s export facility.
The first phase of the giant LNG Canada project includes building two liquefaction trains with a capacity of 14 mtpa.
LNG Canada expects to deliver its first cargo by the middle of this decade.
HaiSea Marine, majority-owned by the Haisla Nation in partnership with Canada’s Seaspan ULC, has a major contract with LNG Canada to build and operate escort and harbor tugs required for the LNG export project worth more than $30 billion.
The new fleet of tugs will consist of two RAstar 4000-DF escort dual-fuel tugs that will run on LNG and also diesel.
Moreover, the fleet also includes three ElectRA 2800 electric tugs.
Turkey’s Sanmar is building the tugs designed by Vancouver BC-based naval architect company, Robert Allan.
Earlier this year, Sanmar launched the first of two LNG dual-fuel tugs that will feature Wartsila engines.
Also, Norway’s Corvus Energy won a contract to deliver batteries to the three electric tugs.