October 2021 – Page 3 – Pacific Maritime Magazine

Crowley and Shell to Build LNG Bunker Barge

Crowley Maritime Corp. has signed a long-term time charter with international fuels company Shell for the construction and operation of a new, U.S.-built, LNG bunker barge. Upon construction, Crowley says, the barge will be the largest Jones Act-compliant vessel of its kind. Crowley says that the vessel will help expand current network capacity as well as meet demands for cleaner energy. The vessel would become the second Jones Act-compliant bunker barge that Shell has under long-term charter in the U.S. It is expected to be deployed to serve LNG-fueled ships that call on ports starting in 2024. “The new bunker…

From the Editor: Floating Parking Lots

You might want to start your Christmas shopping early. That’s the big takeaway from the ongoing situation at major seaports on the West Coast right now, particularly at Los Angeles-Long Beach, the biggest and busiest port complex in North America. According to reports, shipping traffic is up 50% from pre-pandemic levels, contributing to the bottleneck. Another contributing factor is a shortage of drivers to haul goods away from port terminals, as well as a shortage of trailers to affix containers to and of storage space at terminals. “The American’s buying strength is so strong and epic, that we can’t absorb…