Wed 14 Nov 2012, 08:51 GMT

Project to develop US LNG bunkering facility


Louisiana project forms part of overall plan to develop LNG bunkering facilities on each US coast.



Waller Marine, Inc., through its LNG development subsidiaries, Waller Energy Holdings, LLC and Waller LNG Services, LLC, has initiated activities on its first natural gas liquefaction (LNG) facility to be constructed on a 175-acre site the company has acquired at the entrance point of the Calcasieu Ship Channel in Cameron Parish, Southwest Louisiana.

Using small-scale liquefaction technology, the company plans to install nominal 500,000-gallon-per-day LNG trains in phases as the market and demand for marine LNG fuels expands.

The first trains are planned for the Waller PointTM LNG terminal in Cameron Parish, and additional trains are planned for a second terminal which it is developing through its subsidiary Waller Energy Partners, LLC, at a site to be secured on the Mississippi River in the first quarter of 2013. These will be the first two of the initial seven small scale LNG terminals the company plans to install at strategic locations on each US coast.

With the looming regulatory requirement for vessel’s to comply with new ECA emission control regulations when operating in the territorial waters of the United States, the company’s focus is to supply LNG to the marine fuels market.

To enable the supply and distribution of LNG to and from small scale LNG terminals and for bunkering LNG as a marine fuel, Waller has conceived and designed a series of small LNG vessels, ranging from its 2,000 to 10,000 cubic meter capacity river transport and bunker barges and its 10,000 to 30,000 cubic metre coastwise ATB LNG vessels.

Waller’s innovative concepts are patent pending before the US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), and Waller has recently acquired Approvalin Principle from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).

US vessel owners are faced with increasing costs of operations as the ECA regulations drive decisions on how they should comply; one, by installing scrubbers in the exhausts or two, by using ultra-low sulfur fuels. A third alternative that will permit compliance with emissions is the use of LNG to fuel their vessels. With strategically-located LNG supply facilities, a distribution of the fuel by Waller barges to small-scale LNG storage terminals combined with ship fueling with Waller LNG bunker barges at anchorages, ports and terminals throughout the US, vessel owners will have access to LNG. Waller anticipates that substantial savings can be achieved by vessel owners using LNG fuels with payback for conversion costs being as short as six months.

Waller has also initiated a vessel conversion strategy and is working with partners on providing funding for the conversion of ships to be fuelled by LNG. Working with engine manufacturers and equipment suppliers, Waller is engineering shipboard LNG fuel storage and supply systems for vessels having a range of horsepower. The company is also developing pre-manufactured systems to reduce or eliminate downtime during conversion.


NYK Line and BHP Group sign MoU. NYK Line and BHP renew partnership for dry bulk decarbonisation  

Japanese shipping firm and Australian resources company extend collaboration on alternative fuels and vessel safety.

Kota Orkid vessel during its maiden call at Singapore. PIL's LNG-fuelled Kota Orkid makes maiden call at Singapore  

Pacific International Lines deploys 8,200 TEU vessel on South West Africa route.

WinGD and Panasia Frame Agreement Signing. WinGD and Panasia partner on emissions upgrades for dual-fuel LNG engines  

Swiss engine designer signs frame agreement with Korean firm to retrofit X-DF engines.

Baleària’s Cap de Barbaria vessel. Baleària to trial methanol-to-hydrogen system on electric ferry  

Spanish operator to test e-methanol reforming technology on Ibiza-Formentera route.

HMM Clover Naming Ceremony. HMM names second methanol-powered containership in 9,000 TEU series  

South Korean carrier adds HMM Clover to fleet of alternative fuel vessels.

Markus Virtasalo, ABB. Covering the distance to shipping’s nuclear opportunities | ABB  

The number of stakeholders engaging with nuclear ship propulsion in 2025 indicates that the maritime industry is eager to expand its options on net zero emissions.

Christian Vandvig Finnerup, Dan-Bunkering. Dan-Bunkering appoints Christian Vandvig Finnerup as US managing director  

Finnerup transitions from Singapore role to lead American operations.

Hai Gang Wei Lai vessel. SIPG orders Wärtsilä systems for new LNG bunker vessel  

Shanghai International Port Group orders integrated cargo handling and fuel systems from Wärtsilä.

Chris Seide, Integr8 Fuels and William Kanavan, Pentarch Offshore Solutions. Integr8 Fuels signs MOU with Pentarch for bunker services at Port of Edrom  

Integr8 Fuels and Pentarch Offshore Solutions have signed an agreement to develop bunker fuel services.

Eagle Vellore vessel. MISC orders two LNG dual-fuel Suezmax tankers as part of fleet renewal  

Malaysian shipowner expands dual-fuel fleet with newbuilds backed by long-term charters.