Rella heads Crowley focus on LNG

Rella heads Crowley focus on LNG    Oakland-based Crowley Maritime Corp. has appointed Joe Rella as director of business development – liquefied natural gas.
   Rella served as port engineer contracted to the U.S. Navy for the conversion of the “USS Inchon”.
   Rella is based in Houston and reports to Rob Grune, Crowley’s vice president and general manager of ship assist and escort services.
   Crowley said the LNG industry is a new area of focus for the company. “Although LNG currently accounts for only about 1 percent of natural gas used in the United States, it is expected that LNG imports will continue to grow in the near future as consumers become more aware of its benefits and availability,” Grune said.