A keel laying ceremony for the first ECO tanker, which is currently under construction for Florida-based vessel owner SEA-Vista LLC, was held on May 5th at the General Dynamics NASSCO’s San Diego-based shipyard.
The ECO tanker is the first of a three-tanker contract between General Dynamics NASSCO and SEA-Vista, which calls for the design and construction of three 50,000 deadweight ton LNG-conversion-ready product carriers with a 330,000 barrel cargo capacity.
The construction and operation of the new vessels are aligned with the Jones Act , which requires that ships carrying cargo between U.S. ports be built in U.S. shipyards.
The ships were designed by DSEC, a subsidiary of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) of Busan, South Korea. The design incorporates improved fuel efficiency concepts through several features, including a G-series MAN ME slow-speed main engine and an optimized hull form.
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Image: NASSCO