Engine setting milestone for Crowley con-ro
El Coquí is the first of two sister ships being built by VT Halter for Crowley, destined to sail between Jacksonville in the USA and Puerto Rico. The engine, which weighs 759 tonnes and is 41 feet high and the same length, was set in position with a series of heavy lifts by Halter’s 500-tonne cranes.
The Jones Act ships are designed to travel at up to 22 knots. Cargo capacity will be approximately 2,400 teu, with additional space for nearly 400 vehicles in an enclosed ro-ro garage.
“The LNG component makes these ships very novel,” said Ray Martus, vice president construction management at Jensen Maritime Consultants, Crowley’s Seattle-based naval architect. “On the world stage it will be one of the first large commercial ships to burn LNG as the primary fuel.”
Cole Cosgrove, vice president marine operations at Crowley Liner Services, emphasised the challenges of the innovative project. “Even the companies that are experts in this particular field don’t have all the answers,” he said. “This really is a cutting edge technology.”
El Coquí and sister ship Taíno are scheduled for delivery in the second and fourth quarters of 2017 respectively. As reported, Crowley will take delivery of three LNG-ready product tankers this year, completing a series of four under construction at Aker Philadelphia.
