SUEZ to Bring U.S. Crew on Board
SUEZ LNG NA LLC (SUEZ) announced that the LNG ship SUEZ Matthew has become the first liquefied natural gas(LNG) vessel in recent history calling on United States ports to begin utilizing U.S. mariners onboard. This development represents the early implementation of an agreement with MarAd to provide job opportunities for U.S. mariners on all SUEZ LNG NA vessels within the next five years. SUEZ was the first company in the industry to enter into an agreement with the MarAd in December 2006 to assist in fulfilling its desire to create opportunities for U.S. mariners in LNG shipping, where the international (privately owned) LNG shipping fleet is growing at a rate of 15-20% per year. Today, all LNG ships worldwide are flagged under non-U.S. countries.
Boston Towing and Transportation Company Wins Offshore LNG Project
Vincent D. Tibbetts Jr., president of Boston Towing & Transportation, the Boston division of the Reinauer Companies, announced that Boston Towing and Transportation Company has been awarded a significant 20 year contract by Suez Energy N.A. LLC to support their Neptune Offshore LNG Terminal. This contract includes the construction and operation of two additional vessels, a 128 foot, 5400 hp, controllable pitch Z Drive, FiFi 1 Offshore Support Vessel based in Gloucester, Ma, as well as a smaller 101foot, 5400hp, controllable pitch Z Drive, FiFi 1 tug that will operate in the harbor, as well as acting as backup to the larger offshore vessel. This will increase BTT’s fleet to four tractor tugs in addition to eight other conventional tugs.
