Crowley Fuels recently signed a contract with Bollinger Shipyards to construct an Alaska Class 100,000-barrel-capacity articulated tug-barge (ATB) for the transportation of multiple clean petroleum products.
Crowley’s marine solutions group will provide vessel construction management services from the final design phase through to delivery. The option to build a second vessel was included in the contract.
“While Crowley has operated ATBs in Alaska in the past, this will be the first ATB of its size and class that will be dedicated to the Alaska market,” Rocky Smith, Crowley Fuels’ senior vice president and general manager, said. “The vessel’s capabilities make it ideal to serve the market with the safe and reliable service Crowley has built its reputation on. We look forward to working with our partners at Bollinger to deliver a world-class ATB to this region.”
The tug-barge will be built in Louisiana at the Bollinger Marine Fabricators Shipyard. It has a delivery date of the fourth quarter of 2019.
Once construction is complete, Crowley will operate the tug-barge under a long-term charter with Alaska-based Petro Star. Crowley has a four-decade partnership with Petro Star’s parent company, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation.
The tug will be named Aveogan, while the barge will be named Oliver Leavitt.