‘Natural Gas Operating Fleet’ Concept Receives AiP
Wärtsilä and COSCO shipping Heavy Industry Co (CHI) have announced the joint development of a natural gas operating fleet concept, and this design has now obtained Lloyd's Register's (LR) Approval in Principle (AiP) certificate. The development project was carried out under the terms of a memorandum of understanding cooperation signed in June 2016 between the three companies. According to the developers, the aim of the concept is to offer global operators a more efficient and…
Natural Gas Articulated Conduit System Patented
Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) announced that long-time partner Moran Towing Corporation has been granted US Patent 8,967,174 for "Articulated conduit systems and uses thereof for fuel gas transfer between a tug and barge." The patent was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on May 2, 2014, and in general terms describes arrangements and methods for transferring boil off gas between a liquefied natural gas barge and its tug, while taking into account the relative motion between the two vessels. "This design represents an advance in natural gas fuel transfer technology and demonstrates EBDG's and Moran's commitment to the emerging maritime LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) transport industry…
Coast Guard Responds to Mobile, AL Barge Explosion
The Coast Guard is responding to a report of a barge explosion on the ship channel in Mobile Bay Wednesday. Coast Guard Sector Mobile watchstanders received the initial notification at 8:40 p.m. reporting the barge explosion between the George Wallace Tunnel and the Bankhead Tunnel in Mobile Bay. A second explosion was reported at 9:10 p.m. Three burn-related injuries have been reported and their current conditions are unknown. The Coast Guard Cutter Stingray, Coast Guard Station Dauphin Island, Ala., 25-foot and 45-foot response boat crews, and additional federal, state and local agencies have responded to the incident. The barge was an empty compressed natural gas barge that was at the dock for cleaning.A one nautical mile safety zone has been established around the barge.
LNG Terminal Opposed
Strong opposition by Conn. Gov. State Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Gina McCarthy delivered Rell's statement, criticizing the proposed security zone around the floating barge as the taking of property by a private company with federal approval. Nearly 200 people attended the hearing at Mitchell College. Their focus was the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's draft report that found the project will have minimal impact on the environment and public safety if certain guidelines for construction are followed. The AP said many opponents worried that Connecticut has been stripped of its jurisdiction and that Long Island Sound would be industrialized.
