06 December 2019 — WorkBoat recognized the 10 Significant Boats of 2019 and named its Boat of the Year at an awards ceremony at the International WorkBoat Show Thursday morning. The 2019 Boat of the Year was the Taíno and El Coquí, combination container roll-on/roll-off (ConRo) ships powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Owner Crowley Maritime Corp. said the vessels are the world’s first ConRo ships powered by LNG. The two 720’×105’×59′, 26,500-dwt Commitment-class vessels were built by VT Halter Marine and designed by Wärtsilä Ship Design and Jensen Maritime. The ships provide fast, reliable and environmentally friendly shipping and logistics services between Jacksonville, Fla., and San Juan, Puerto Rico, a route the company has served since 1954. Crowley invested $550 million in the ships and associated port upgrades.
Designed specifically for the Puerto Rico trade, the ships carry up to 2,400 20′ equivalent container units (TEUs) at a cruising speed of 22 knots. A range of other container sizes and types can be accommodated, including 53’×8.5′ boxes and up to 300 refrigerated containers. Enclosed and ventilated roll-on/roll-off decks accommodate around 400 cars and larger vehicles.
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Each ship is powered by a single MAN 8S70ME-GI marine engine, producing 26,160 kW (35,054 hp) at 91 rpm. The single engine connects to a 328″×291″, 5-bladed prop to produce a running speed of 22 knots. Fueling the ships with LNG reduces emissions significantly, including a 100% reduction in sulphur oxide (SOx) and particulate matter (PM); a 92% cut in nitrogen oxide (NOx); and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions will be cut by more than 35% per container, compared with current fossil fuels, Crowley said.