Finnish engineering firm Wartsila is to supply its LNG cargo handling system for a new 5,400 m³ LNG bunker barge being built in the US, it said September 19. It added that this showed the "growing acceptance of LNG fuel by North American owners and operators."

The barge is being built at the Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding yard in Wisconsin on behalf of NorthStar Midstream. It will be operated by the company’s marine transportation company Polaris New Energy (PNE). The order with Wartsila was placed in August 2019.

Impression of the vessel

Source: Wartsila

Fincantieri said LNG is "undoubtedly becoming fast established as a sustainable fuel option to reduce shipping’s environmental footprint... Our selection of Wärtsilä to supply the cargo handling system helps mitigate risk and assures the success of this latest project.” 

The bunker barge will be part of an Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) that will deliver fuel to both ocean and inland water operated LNG-fuelled vessels. It will initially be assigned to Florida’s eastern coast. There is an option for two additional bunker barges. 

Wartsila's scope of work includes the system design and integration, four LNG storage tanks, LNG pumps and a ship-to-ship transfer system. Deliveries to the yard are scheduled to start in October 2020, and the barge is expected to be delivered to the customer in mid-2021.