Green Hydrogen Hype Fades as High Costs Force Projects to Retreat
(Bloomberg) — Climate-friendly hydrogen was one of the most-hyped sectors in green energy. Now the reality of its high cost is taking its toll. In recent months, some of the...
San Diego shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO has christened the second LNG-ready tanker being built for American Petroleum Tankers (APT), a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan, for use in the Jones Act trade.
The christening took place during a ceremony this past Saturday at NASSCO’s yard in San Diego attended by U.S. Representative Scott Peters, who spoke during the ceremony, and Mrs. Trang Cormack, the ship’s sponsor.
The ECO Class tanker, named Magnolia State, is the second of a five-tanker contract between NASSCO and APT, which calls for the design and construction of five 50,000 deadweight ton, LNG-conversion-ready product carriers with a 330,000 barrel cargo capacity. The 610-foot-long tankers are equipped with a new “ECO” design which will provide a significant improvement in fuel efficiency.
The first tanker in the ECO class, named Lone Star State, was delivered in November 2015.
“We look forward to taking delivery of our second ECO Class tanker from NASSCO. This is another example of American Petroleum Tanker’s commitment to building our fleet and servicing our customers. And we thank NASSCO for their continued support which paved the way for this important milestone to be achieved,” said Robert Kurz, vice president of Kinder Morgan Terminals and president of American Petroleum Tankers, a Kinder Morgan, Inc. subsidiary.
The Magnolia State, along with others in the ECO Class, are the first in the Jones Act fleet to obtain a PMA+ Notation, representing compliance with one of the highest standards of human factors in engineering design. The PMA+ notation is created to facilitate safe access to vessel structure and spaces in ways that are rooted in the fundamentals of human ergonomics.
The ships were designed by DSEC, a subsidiary of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) of Busan, South Korea. The design incorporates improved fuel efficiency concepts through several features, including a G-series MAN ME slow-speed main engine and an optimized hull form. The tankers will also have dual-fuel-capable auxiliary engines and the ability to accommodate future installation of an LNG fuel-gas system.
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