Tech File: Deck Machinery Hose Cranes for New LNG Bunker Barge

Tech file

LNG Bunker Barge Hose Handling Cranes

Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding

LNG bunkering barge currently under construction at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding

Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding is currently building a liquefi ed natural gas (LNG) bunker barge for Polaris New Energy, a subsidiary of Northstar Midstream.

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, recently revealed it secured an order from the Sturgeon Bay, Wis. shipbuilder to supply two fi xed boom cranes that will handle the hoses on board the unique vessel.

The MacGregor Rapp HP63-13F cranes will handle the hoses that transfer LNG from the barge to the LNG-powered vessel during bunkering operations. The hoses will be 63 feet long and designed to handle 6,500 pounds at 42 feet and 1,000 pounds at 63 feet.

MacGregor, which noted that it has an established history delivering hose handling cranes for oil tanker barges to Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding and other barge constructors in the U.S., said this will be its fi rst pair of cranes to be delivered for an LNG bunkering application.

“We have a long-standing relationship with Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, and a proven reputation of delivering high-quality hose handling cranes to the U.S. barge market,” said John Carnall, Senior Vice President, Global Services Division, MacGregor. “These are the fi rst hose handling cranes that MacGregor will deliver to an LNG bunkering barge, and we have tailored the specifi cation in close cooperation with Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding’s engineering group to ensure the exact confi guration for the owner’s hose handling operations.”

“We are glad to select MacGregor as the supplier for our LNG bunker barge project’s hose handling cranes. MacGregor’s support prior to order was an important part of our design development. We are confi dent that these cranes will meet or exceed our customer’s requirements,” says Hugh Haggerty, Project Engineer, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding.

The builder hosted a private ceremonial keel laying June 24 for the new barge, following several months of prefabrication work of its modular sections.

Slated for completion in late 2021, the 5,400 cubic meter capacity barge, to be named Clean Canaveral and homeported in Jacksonville, Fla., will operate as an articulated tug and barge unit (ATB) that initially runs along Florida’s east coast providing LNG bunkering solutions to NorthStar Midstream’s customers.

The barge will be 340 feet long overall, with a 66-foot beam and a depth of 32 feet, 10 inches. It will be fi tted with four 1,350-cubic-meter IMO Type C tanks. It will be ABS classed and utilize a cargo handling system designed and developed by Wärtsilä Gas Solutions.

Polaris New Energy will source LNG from JAX LNG, a state-of-the-art LNG production facility in Jacksonville, created through a partnership between NorthStar and Pivotal LNG.