A shipyard in Louisiana, US, will build four escort tugs with hybrid propulsion for a joint venture between two US owners to support gas carriers at a Woodside export LNG terminal
Green Tug Towing has won a US$300M contract to provide towage and ship-handling services at Woodside Energy’s new LNG export terminal, being built in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, US.
A fleet of four 28-m escort tugboats will be built at C&C Marine and Repair’s shipyard in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, under the contract with Green Tug Towing, a joint venture between Harbor Docking & Towing and Saltchuk Marine Terminal Services.
Construction of these tugs began with a keel-laying ceremony in mid-April, and they are scheduled for delivery in 2028, when they will manoeuvre, tow and dock gas carriers at the LNG terminal, in which Woodside is investing US$17.5Bn. They will also provide emergency response services under a 20-year term.
“As we progress towards the targeted first LNG in 2029, Green Tug Towing will play a key role in ensuring Louisiana LNG can safely deliver,” said Woodside executive vice president and chief operating officer for international projects, Daniel Kalms.
“This contract also demonstrates our ongoing commitment to supporting local suppliers and growing the shipbuilding industry in Louisiana,” he said.
Green Tug plans to operate a dedicated tug-berthing facility in Lake Charles to support ongoing operations at the terminal.
Green Tug’s contract will support the creation of around 70 direct local jobs, an additional 30 indirect roles, and about 60 temporary positions during construction at C&C Marine and Repair.
These four tugs will be built to Robert Allan Ltd.’s RApport 2800H design, with diesel-electric hybrid propulsion to reduce fuel consumption and emissions during standby, harbour transits, and low-speed manoeuvring.
They will have high indirect steering forces and bollard pull to safely handle the world’s largest LNG carriers.
The Green Tug contract adds to a growing pipeline of vessel programmes at C&C Marine and Repair, reinforcing the shipyard’s position as a builder of towboats, tugs, dredgers and offshore support vessels.
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