VT Halter Marine, a VT Systems company, cut the first steel for America’s first liquefied natural gas articulated tug and barge (LNG ATB) unit, marking the start of construction.
“We believe that this is a significant step towards the USA becoming the premier supplier of LNG as the environmentally friendly maritime fuel source of choice,” said Rob Mullins , CEO of VT Halter Marine.
In November 2017, VT Halter Marine was awarded a contract by Q-LNG Transport to build the ATB LNG unit, which was unveiled as part of a long-term contract with Shell, to deliver LNG as a fuel source to various ports in Florida and the Caribbean.
The barge is designed to carry 4,000 cubic meters of LNG and meet the requirements of American Bureau of Shipbuilding (ABS) and the International Gas Carrier (IGC) code as an LNG bunkering barge.
The delivery of the LNG articulated tug and barge is anticipated for the first quarter of 2020.
Anticipated delivery of the first unit is in the first quarter of 2020.