Vard to Design LNG Bunker Barge for Fincantieri

Vard Marine, a naval architecture and marine engineering company, recently completed the concept design of a new 5,400 cubic meter (CBM) LNG bunker barge for Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding.

The barge is being designed for Polaris New Energy’s bunkering operations that will support LNG fueled ships in the east coast of the United States. It will be built at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin and is expected to be delivered in November 2021.

Vard Marine is currently developing a classification design package for the review and approval by the American Bureau of Shipping and the United States Coast Guard.

The barge is designed with a philosophy of utilizing proven technology. It will be fitted with four 1,350 CBM IMO Type C tanks, utilizing a cargo handling system designed and developed by Wartsila.

The barge will use cargo handling equipment for continuous cargo conditioning and to provide multiple levels of redundancy to maintain the LNG cargo’s pressure and temperature.

“LNG as a marine fuel is being adopted in the US and around the world at an exponential rate,” said Darren Truelock, Vice President of Vard Marine’s Houston’s operations,  “and Vard Marine is proud to be a part of this evolution. Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding has brought together a ‘dream team’ of expertise to provide Polaris New Energy with a world-class product that will be instrumental in providing access to cleaner, economical energy.”

The barge dimensions will be 340 ft overall length, 66 ft beam, and have a depth of 32 ft-10 in. This project plays a key role in strengthening the US’ bunkering capability to provide LNG as a marine fuel to domestic and foreign LNG fueled vessels operating in US ports. It will be the largest capacity LNG Jones Act bunker barge designed and built to date.