General Dynamics NASSCO christens first of five ECO tankers for APT

General Dynamics NASSCO has held a christening for its first ECO tanker – the Lone Star State – for American Petroleum Tankers (APT). It is currently being constructed at NASSCO’s shipyard in San Diego, US. The sponsor of the vessel – Mrs. Helen Downs – christened the ship by breaking a bottle of champagne against it.

The Lone Star State is the first of five tankers agreed to in the contract between NASSCO and APT. All carriers will be LNG-conversion ready and have a 330 000 barrel cargo capacity. The tankers are 610 ft long and are ‘ECO’ designed in order to offer both fuel efficiency and environmentally friendly features, such as a ballast water treatment system.

Kevin Graney, the General Manager and Vice President of NASSCO, said: “Incorporating new and innovative green ship technology, these tankers are the future of American petroleum shipping. When delivered, they will be among the most fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly tankers anywhere in the world.”

All vessels were designed by a subsidiary of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) – DSEC – and incorporate features, such as a G-series MAN ME slow-speed main engine, as well as an optimised hull form and the capacity to be installed with an LNG-fuel gas system at a later date.

Robert Kurz, the Vice President of Kinder Morgan Terminals and President of APT, said: “This christening ceremony is an important step forward for Kinder Morgan's expanding fleet of Jones Act product tankers and demonstrates the strong demand for domestic waterborne transportation to move petroleum products and crude oil […] We look forward to taking delivery of this vessel next month and, along with our seven other operating tankers, providing first-class service to our growing customer base.”

Mayor Faulconer, who signalled the beginning of construction in September 2014, said: “The Lone Star State is a great example of the kind of innovative technology being employed by NASSCO and our blue tech industry. Its construction has employed hundreds of San Diegans and helped sustain jobs for thousands more […] This ship is a symbol of the jobs and opportunities the maritime industry brings to our city”

Edited from press release by David Rowlands

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/lng-shipping/20102015/general-dynamics-nassco-christens-first-of-five-eco-tankers-for-apt-1497/