Vard Marine designs pioneering bunker barge
Anticipated to be the largest capacity LNG Jones Act bunker barge designed and built to date, the barge will have an overall length of 340ft, a 66ft beam, and a depth of 32ft. This project plays a key role in strengthening the US’ bunkering capability to provide LNG as a marine fuel to domestic and foreign LNG fuelled vessels operating in US ports.
“LNG as a marine fuel is being adopted in the US and around the world at an exponential rate and Vard Marine is proud to be a part of this evolution,” said Darren Truelock, vice president of Houston operations at Vard Marine, owned by Fincantieri.
Wartsila cargo system
The barge will be fitted with four 1,350 CBM IMO Type C tanks, utilising a cargo handling system designed and developed by Wartsila. The barge will use cargo handling equipment for continuous cargo conditioning and to provide multiple levels of redundancy to maintain the LNG cargo’s pressure and temperature.
It will be built at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin and is expected to be delivered in November 2021.
Mr Truelock added: “Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding has brought together a ‘dream team’ of expertise to provide Polaris New Energy with a world-class product that will be instrumental in providing access to cleaner, economical energy.”
Vard Marine is currently developing a classification design package for the review and approval by the American Bureau of Shipping and the United States Coast Guard.
