ABS TO CLASS LNG AMERICA BUNKER BARGES

Houston based LNG America has selected ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) as the classification society for North America’s first LNG bunker barges, currently being designed by Jensen Maritime. The LNG bunker vessels will provide a critical building block in the bridge between the natural gas industry and the global marine industry, and will allow the ship owners and charter parties to receive LNG as bunker fuel the same way they receive oil today. ABS will assist LNG America in working with shipbuilders and regulators in developing the first-of-their-kind barges that meet or exceed all technical and regulatory requirements. “ABS has watched ship propulsion move from wind to coal, from coal to oil, and now from oil to natural gas. They are well situated to help us usher in a new era of clean domestic fuel,” said Keith Meyer, President and CEO of LNG America. ABS was the first provider of classification services for the gas sector and 34 percent of LNG tankers under construction around the world are set for ABS class. The society is also providing services to the largest and most advanced LNG fueled ships in the world. “We are looking forward to working with LNG America on North America’s first LNG bunker barges. These units will be the first of many that will be required if our industry is going to support the transition to LNG as a fuel for the ships entering US ports,” said Jim Watson, President and COO, ABS Americas.