Bunkering ports around the world have long used a variety of small tankers or tug and barge combinations to deliver fuel to visiting ships. Mostly this was heavy oil, but recently a new breed of bunkering vessels is emerging to deliver clean burning LNG to modern ships with dual-fuel capabilities.

The fall of 2020 will see a fine new addition to this fleet servicing cruise ships in Florida and the Caribbean. As an Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) combination the vessel will have a cargo capacity of 4,000 cubic meters of LNG. The tug, designed by Jensen Maritime and to be named Q-Ocean Services, is 128 by 42 feet with a molded depth of 21 feet. It will operate while fitted in the stern notch of the 324 by 64-foot barge designed by Waller Marine. The barge has a molded depth of 32.5 feet. Both vessels detail design was done by VT Halter Marine under mutual agreements.

Propulsion power on the tug will be a pair of 1900-kW (2548 HP), Wabtec 6L250 MDC EPA Tier 4 and IMO III main engines, with Wartsila Z-drives. This will give the ATB a ten-knot design speed with an estimated 65-ton bollard pull. The tug will have tankage for 105,686 gallons of diesel fuel, while the barge will have tanks for 13,890 gallons of diesel. The ATB will be ABS-classed, capable of dynamic positioning DPS 1+ (one plus). The tug will have accommodation for up to 12 crew including tanker-men. The tug will also be equipped with two Reverse osmosis Water makers capable of producing 2000 gallons of fresh water per day.

Auxiliary power, servicing a wide range of functions on both the tug and the barge, will be provided by a total of nine Cummins marine engines. The tug has two QSM11-DM powered 150-kW SSDG’s. These engines are fitted with through shafts that can also run fire pumps, including those supplying two off-ship monitors. The tug will additionally have a single Cummins QSB7-DM-powered, 99-kW harbor generator, and a QSB7-DM-powered, 79-kW emergency generator.

The barge, with large power demands, has five, QSK19-DM-powered, 450-kW generators. These will power a range of functions on the barge including four mooring winches and two hose handling cranes. The tug will also have two stores cranes, one forward and one aft. The barge is fitted with a ballast water treatment plant provided by Wartsila as well.

Initial clients for the new vessel will be Carnival Cruise Line’s two new dual-fuel ships and two dual-fuel Siem Car Carrier ships under charter to the Volkswagen Group to transport vehicles from Europe to North America. The ATB is being constructed to meet the requirements of US Flag, ABS Class and the requirements of the IMO International Gas Carrier Code.

Q-LNG 4000, the first LNG ATB bunker vessel built in the US. Under construction at VT Halter Marine in Mississippi, Q-LNG 4000 is being built for Quality Liquified Natural Gas Transport. Q-LNG, with Chad Verret as President, has also signed a letter of intent for an 8,000-m3 LNG ATB unit with VT Halter Marine, but that has not as yet been firmed up as an order. Shell has signed a long-term charter for Q-LNG 4000, which will operate out of Port Canaveral, Florida.

Photos and renderings courtesy of Q-LNG

For further information: 
 
Joseph Shellenberger 
New Construction Program Manager
VT Halter Marine, Inc.
 900 Bayou Casotte Pkwy
Pascagoula, MS 39581, USA
Phone:: +1.228.696.6739  |  
Cell:: +1.228.990.6837 
Email: joe.shellenberger@vthm.com
Web: www.vthm.com
 
Michael Aufdermauer
Director - Marine Business – Southern U.S.
Cummins Sales and Service
Office: (504) 648-8601
Mobile: (504) 220-0799
Fax: (504) 734-3097
 
Jack E Bingert
Territory Sales Manager-Marine
Cummins Sales and Service
1924 East I-65 Service Road, North
Mobile, AL 36617
Phone: 251-706-2755 
Cell: 251-895-1590  
 
John L Moreau II
GE Marine Business Manager
5901 River Rd.
Jefferson, LA 70123
Office: 504-648-8104
Cell: 504-722-5245
Email: john.l.moreau@cummins.com

Alan Haig-Brown
A. Haig-Brown & Assoc. Ltd.
Bangkok, Thailand
Vancouver, Canada
Canada Phone: 604 377 1577
Thai Phone: 66 (0)8 5347 6206
E-mail: alan@haig-brown.com
web: www.haigbrown.com