General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, has entered into a contract with American Petroleum Tankers, a unit of Kinder Morgan, for the design and construction of an additional 50,000 deadweight ton LNG-conversion-ready product carrier with a 330,000 barrel cargo capacity.
Construction is scheduled to begin the fourth quarter of 2015, with delivery scheduled for the second quarter of 2017. This new tanker, supported by a long-term charter, will be constructed at the NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, meeting the Jones Act requirement that ships carrying cargo between U.S. ports be built in U.S. shipyards.
This new 610-foot-long tanker is a continuation of the ECO MR tanker design, which delivers improved fuel efficiency and incorporates the latest environmental protection features, including a Ballast Water Treatment System. Including this order, NASSCO is now under contract for the design and construction of eight tankers: five for American Petroleum Tankers and three for Seabulk Tankers, Inc.
All eight ships are being designed by DSEC, a subsidiary of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) of Busan, South Korea. DSEC’s ECO design achieves improved fuel efficiency through several features, including a G-series MAN ME slow-speed main engine and an optimized hull form. The tankers will have conversion-capable, dual-fuel-capable engines and the ability to accommodate the future installation of an LNG fuel-gas system and Type C LNG tanks.
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Press Release, June 17, 2014; Image: General Dynamics NASSCO