Marine Log - November 2007 - (Page 29) COVERSTORY The 9,280 hp ATB tug Integrity was recently launched at VT Halter Marine. It will be delivered in the second half of 2008 to Crowley Maritime CROWLEY’S BIG SPLASH T he appetite for refined petroleum products is rising and so, too, is the demand for coastwise tank barges. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, total U.S. petroleum consumption is projected to average 20.8 million bbl/day in 2007, up 0.5% from the 2006 average, with a further 1% increase, to an average of 21.0 million bbl/d, in 2008. On average, about 30% of all refined petroleum products are moved by water. Over the last few years, coastwise transportation companies have been positioning themselves to take advantage of this increased demand by investing in new OPA-compliant tonnage. Currently, if all the contracts, options and letters of intent are executed, U.S. shipyards would build and deliver as many as 58 coastwise tank barges by 2013. The largest of these are a series of 330,000 bbl coastwise tank barges ordered by OSG America (formerly Maritrans). OSG America has a second series of 290,000 bbl tank barges on order at Tampa Bay Shipbuilding & Repair, Inc., Tampa, Fla. The latest to join the “300” club was Crowley Maritime Corporation, Jacksonville, Fla. Its Vessel Management Services (VMS) subsidiary signed contracts with VT Halter Marine Inc., Pascagoula, Miss., and Dakota Creek Shipyards, Anacortes, Wash., to build three 330,000 bbl Articulated Tug-Barge (ATB), 330,000bbl tank vessels. VT Halter Marine said the value of its contract was $254 million, including owner-furbished equipment. The cost to construct the three 16,320 hp tugs was not disclosed. The three ATB’s would not only be the largest in the company’s history but some of the fastest in their class. The vessels’ size and speed will make them very competitive with product tankers. “These ATB’s are being constructed to be some of the largest and certainly the fastest in the trade,” said Steve Collar, senior vice president and general manager, Technical Services. “Not only will they be able to carry 330,000-barrels of prod- uct safely, but we also expect them to do so quickly —to the tune of 15.1 knots.” With the most recent order, Crowley has 10 coastwise tank barges on order at VT Halter Marine. The new 600 ft x 105 ft barges will be delivered in yearly intervals between the second half of 2011 and the first half of 2013. Once delivered, the three new ATB’s, (Legacy/750-1, Legend/750-2 and Liberty/750-3), will be operated in the U.S. coastwise trade by Crowley’s petroleum services segment. These three new vessels will bring Crowley’s total ATB fleet to 17, including four 155,000 bbl and ten 185,000 bbl ATB’s. The ATB’s will have the capability of transporting refined products and heated cargoes. Meanwhile, the tugs will be the first built to ABS R2 classification which provides a higher level of redundancy than found on a standard product tanker or ATB. There will be a bulkhead dividing the port and starboard engine rooms that NOVEMBER 2007 MARINE LOG 29 www.marinelog.com Photo: VT Halter Marine http://www.marinelog.com
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