As part of the company's industry-leading, vessel build program, Crowley Maritime Corp. has christened the second of four new, Jones Act product tankers at the South Florida Petroleum Terminal (The Public Dock) in Fort Lauderdale. The 50,000 dead-weight-ton (dwt), 330,000-barrel-capacity Texas joins sister ship Ohio, which was christened by Crowley in November, as the first ever tankers to receive the American Bureau of Shipping’s (ABS) LNG-Ready Level 1 approval, meaning Crowley has the option to convert the tanker to liquefied natural gas (LNG) for propulsion in the future.

A small group including representatives from SeaRiver Maritime, the vessel’s charterer, gathered to watch as Doris Evans, wife of Eric Evans, vice president, planning for Crowley’s petroleum services group, performed the time-honored tradition of christening the vessel by breaking a ceremonial bottle of champagne across the hull.

Texas was constructed by PSINC (formerly known as Aker Philadelphia Shipyard, Inc.), with construction management services provided by Crowley’s Seattle-based, naval architecture and marine engineering subsidiary Jensen Maritime. Two additional product tankers are being built by PSINC for Crowley and have planned deliveries later this year.

The new tankers are based on a proven Hyundai Mipo Dockyards (HMD) design which incorporates numerous fuel efficiency features, flexible cargo capability, and the latest regulatory requirements. Texas is 600 feet long and is capable of carrying crude oil or refined petroleum products.

Crowley is one of the largest independent operators of petroleum barges and tankers in the United States. The company owns and operates a diverse fleet of double-hull tank vessels along with an unrivaled articulated tug barge (ATB) fleet ranging in size from 155,000 bbl to 330,000 bbl capacity. Additionally, Crowley provides tanker management services for other U.S. companies.

Jacksonville-based Crowley Holdings Inc., a holding company of the 124-year-old Crowley Maritime Corporation, is a privately held family and employee-owned company. The company provides project solutions, energy and logistics services in domestic and international markets by means of six operating lines of business: Puerto Rico/Caribbean Liner Services, Latin America Liner Services, Logistics Services, Petroleum Services, Marine Services and Technical Services.

Offered within these operating lines of business are: liner container shipping, logistics, contract towing and transportation; ship assist and escort; energy support; salvage and emergency response through its 50 percent ownership in Ardent Global; vessel management; vessel construction and naval architecture through its Jensen Maritime subsidiary; government services, and petroleum and chemical transportation, distribution and sales.

Source: Crowley Maritime