Shell and Q-LNG Hit US Offshore Milestone

The first offshore LNG bunkering articulated tug and barge (ATB) in the United States is ready for operations, marking a critical milestone in developing North America’s marine LNG supply chain, Shell Trading (US) Co. and Q-LNG Transport revealed Wednesday.

Shell and Q-LNG, a service company managed by New Orleans-based Harvey Gulf International Marine, assert the “Q-LNG 4000” ATB represents an integral part of the LNG infrastructure along the southeastern U.S. coast. The ATB can provide ship-to-ship transfers of LNG to LNG-fueled vessels as well as ship-to-shore transfers to small-scale marine distribution infrastructure, Shell and Q-LNG noted in a written statement emailed to Rigzone.

“Shell has an ambition to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050 or sooner, in step with society, and we are working hard to deliver the kind of solutions our customers need now to help them decarbonize,” remarked Karrie Trauth, Shell’s general manager for Shipping and Maritime, Americas. “LNG is an important part of the solution today, and I’m proud that this vessel will effectively double the number of LNG bunker vessels in the U.S. and making it possible for us to continue to help others accelerate their own transition.”

The companies pointed out the Q-LNG 4000 barge complements Shell’s existing global network of six LNG bunker vessels.

“I’m pleased to have taken delivery and to begin our long-term service contract with Shell Trading,” commented Q-LNG and Harvey Gulf CEO Shane Guidry. “All of my companies, including Q-LNG, are focused on, and will continue to do our part to design, build and operate vessels that will assist with the quest to decarbonize.”

As Rigzone reported in Feb. 2020, the VT Halter shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss., constructed the 4,000-cubic-meter capacity ATB. Thanks to U.S. Coast Guard design basis acceptance and regulatory approvals, Q-LNG can advance construction of larger variants of the ATB – one with an LNG capacity of 5,400 cubic meters and another able to carry 8,000 cubic meters.

To contact the author, email mveazey@rigzone.com.