Second new LNG-powered TOTE containership delivered

The Perla del Caribe, the sister ship of world’s first containership fueled by liquid natural gas, is expected to enter service for TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico next month.    General Dynamics NASSCO has delivered a second LNG-fueled containership to TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico.
   Perla Del Caribe, was delivered last week at NASSCO’s San Diego, Calif.-shipyard, two months ahead of schedule. It is the sister ship of the world’s first LNG-powered containership, the Isla Bella, also built by NASSCO for TOTE. That ship went into service late last year.
   Anthony Chiarello, president and chief executive officer of TOTE said the Perla Del Caribe will be introduced into the trade next month.
   The ship is currently completing final load out of delivery items and should depart San Diego tomorrow for the Panama Canal and Jacksonville.
   Earlier this month, on January 9 the Isla Bella was bunkered with LNG in Jacksonville.
   Approximately 100,000 LNG gallons transported by 12 TOTE-owned LNG ISO containers were loaded on schedule. The bunkering was conducted under strict US Coast Guard oversight while Isla Bella was also undergoing cargo operations.
   The LNG was transferred from the ISO tank containers using a specially developed transfer skid that allows LNG from four ISO tanks to be transferred to the fuel tanks on the Isla Bella at once, dramatically reducing transfer time.
   A liquefaction plant to be owned and operated by JAX LNG, a joint venture of Pivotal LNG and Wespac Midstream, will eventually be used to supply LNG to TOTE and other companies. The site for the plant has been cleared and construction is expected to commence in the next 30 days or so.