A US shipyard has delivered one of the most powerful tugs yet for the latest LNG bunkering unit built in North America
Master Boat Builders in La Batre, Alabama has completed the new 2,983-kW tugboat for Polaris New Energy. Tug Polaris will be linked to recently delivered barge Clean Canaveral to form the largest Jones Act-compliant articulated tug barge (ATB) providing LNG bunker fuel in the US.
This ATB will be operated by McAllister Towing to support commercial drives to advance the use of clean marine fuel.
Clean Canaveral was delivered to Polaris New Energy in December 2021. It was built by Wisconsin-based Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding with 5,500-m3 capacity for fuel storage.
This ATB will be based in Port Canaveral in southern Florida and will offer additional capacity to the growing fleet of international natural gas-powered ships calling at US east coast ports, including cruise ships, pure car truck carriers, container ships and tankers.
“Polaris will be used to its full potential, helping to fuel the cruise ship industry’s new LNG-powered ships when they arrive in Port Canaveral later this year,” said Master Boat Builders president Garrett Rice.
“We are committed to producing the most dependable and reliable tugs in the maritime industry and we thank Polaris New Energy for giving us the opportunity to prove it.”
Designed by Vard and built to ABS class, Clean Canaveral has four 1,350-m3 IMO Type C tanks, with a cargo-handling system designed and developed by Wärtsilä Gas Solutions.
The ocean tank barge has an overall length of 104 m, beam of 20 m, and depth of 10 m.
The International Tug & Salvage Webinar Week will be held from 14 March 2022. Register your interest and access more information here
© 2023 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd.