NASSCO Begins Building Matson’s LNG-ready ConRos
San Diego shipyard General Dynamics NASSCO said it has begun building the first of two liquefied natural gas (LNG)-capable combination containership/roll-on, roll-off (ConRo) vessels for Matson Navigation Company, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Matson, Inc. The 265-meter-long, 3,500 TEU Kanaloa class design was developed by the shipyard in partnership with Daewoo Ship Engineering Company, and incorporates Tier III compliant LNG-capable main and auxiliary engines, with accommodation for future LNG fuel gas system installation.
APT’s Palmetto State Passes Sea Trials
The Palmetto State, the eighth and final tanker to be constructed at General Dynamics NASSCO as part of a dual-customer program, has recently returned from its first run at sea. The Palmetto State and her sister ships are the most fuel-efficient tankers to service the Jones Act trade, according to NASSCO, who built all of the vessels at its San Diego shipyard and partnered with South Korean ship designer Daewoo Ship Engineering Company (DSEC) for the vessels’ design. With an “ECO” design, the tankers offer 33 percent increased fuel efficiency and cleaner shipping options.
NASSCO Delivers Final Tanker for SEA-Vista
U.S. shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO has delivered the third and final ship for SEA-Vista LLC as part of the builder’s larger eight-ship ECO Class tanker program. The LNG-conversion-ready Jones Act tanker Liberty was delivered on March 1, and is the last of three 610-foot-long, 50,000 deadweight-ton product carriers ordered by SEA-Vista in 2013. The construction program began in November 2014, and the first two ships, Independence and Constitution, have been delivered and are servicing the Jones Act trade. Each of the three ECO Class tankers features 330,000 barrel cargo capacity.
Savvy Fuel Management Fuels TOTE’s Growth
As Tote pioneers the use of natural gas as a marine fuel with two groundbreaking projects, Anthony Chiarello combines the strength and diversity of the Saltchuk group of companies with a forward-thinking, environmentally correct Tote business plan. As TOTE prepares to bring the world’s first natural gas-powered containerships to the maritime industry, the firm will also be the first to convert its existing fleet to run on natural gas. Two Orca Class vessels, operated by Totem Ocean Trailer Express (Totem Ocean) in the Alaska trade, will be converted with minimal time out of service and return as the most environmentally advanced ships in the nation.
Data Convincing for Container Ship Noise Replacement
DNV gathered before and after operational-performance data which indicate that redesigning the bulbous bow of slow-steaming container ships can produce fuel savings of 5% or above. These “nose jobs” can have a payback time of less than a year, DNV said. Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) operates a series of 8,600 TEU container vessels which were designed and built for high speed. These vessels are actually able to operate at 27 knots. However, today the vessels are “slow steaming”, operating in the range of 15 to 18 knots. At these speeds, the existing bulb is not efficient. To quantify the possible savings potential, DNV carried out a comprehensive study to develop a new bulbous bow shape optimized for the expected trading conditions.
TOTE Goes Gas
Last month U.S. ship owner Tote Inc. shocked the maritime community in ordering the world’s first LNG-powered containerships; in one fell swoop energizing the U.S. shipbuilding sector. On the occasion of this historic contract, top executives from TOTE, NASSCO and MAN spoke to Maritime Reporter & Engineering News to weigh in on the deal’s significance. In recent decades, particularly in the large commercial ship niche, it is fair to say that the U.S. has not been a world force.
TOTE ‘Walks the Walk’
Having sat in this chair for more than two decades, I must admit that I have become somewhat jaded in the sense that there are few developments which actually give me cause to pause. Of course there are the spectacular casualties that will never cease to amaze, but on the business side there are very few real showstoppers. Then there was last month. Just as I was literally packing up to head down to New Orleans for the International Workboat Show, news broke that U.S. ship owner TOTE Inc.
NASSCO, Daewoo Team to Build Jones Act Ships
General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), and Daewoo Ship Engineering Company (DSEC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) based in Busan, Korea, announced a formal teaming agreement to build ships for the U.S. market under the Jones Act. The Jones Act, among its many provisions, requires ships that carry cargo between U.S. ports to be built in the United States. Under the agreement, DSEC will provide the detail designs, support services and some of the material necessary for ship production. NASSCO will also procure material and will provide the labor and facilities to construct the ships here.
