New U.S.-flag Crowley tanker first calls Corpus Christi

   Crowley Maritime Corp.’s new tanker, Pennsylvania, called the Port of Corpus Christi, Texas, for the first time on Wednesday.
   The port said the U.S.-flag ship ship will “move products related to Eagle Ford Shale,” the large shale oil formation in South Texas.
   The 45,800-deadweight-ton Pennsylvania is one of two tankers purchased by Crowley Maritime from the Aker Philadelphia Shipyard. The other, Florida, will be delivered in March 2013.
   They are the last in a series of 14 similar tankers built by Aker. The others are owned by Overseas Shipholding Group and American Shipping Co.
   Though Crowley operates articulated tug-barges in the coastal trade, this is the first self-propelled Jones Act tanker Crowley has operated since 2011.
   Crowley will have 17 ATBs in its fleet by next year that have 155,000-barrel, 185,000-barrel and 330,000-barrel capacities. The largest Crowley ATBs have about the same capacity as the new tankers, which can carry both product and chemicals. – Chris Dupin