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T
he US shipbuilding and ship owning markets have seen some notable firsts
following the establishment of the North American Emissions Control
Area (ECA). This powerful regulatory driver has seen the construction
and delivery of LNG-powered, dual-fuelled offshore support vessels (OSVs) and
containerships.
In addition, a US shipyard has recently delivered the first in a series of
LNG-ready product tankers for a domestic owner. At the same time, the
development of related bunkering infrastructure has continued, with both fixed
and mobile applications emerging to meet the growing demand.
Owners and operators have many issues to consider, from the timing of
investment in relation to their asset’s trading patterns, to the evolution of future
regulation and the context of the current operating environment. Whatever their
strategy, stakeholders are working in an environment that requires an innovative
approach to financing.
Figure 1.
TOTE Maritime’s
LNG-powered containership,
Isla Bella
, was launched from
General Dynamics NASSCO.
