Crowley christens new ATB

Crowley Maritime Corporation christened the third of ten new 185,000-barrel Articulated Tug-Barge (ATB) tank vessels that the company will take delivery of by the end of 2010.

The vessels christened were the 9,280 HP-tug Resolve and barge 650-3. The ceremonies were held at the Mobile Convention Center on South Water Street. Crowley's Petroleum Services group will charter the VT Halter Marine-built ATB from VMS, and operate it for BP under a seven-year agreement.

The 650-3 is the first vessel in the United States to be certified by Lloyds Classification Society as complying with the requirements of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO's) Green Passport program. Crowley already has four, 155,000-barrel ATBs and two 185,000-barrel ATBs operating. The barge 650-3 was built at Halter's shipyard in Pascagoula. For more details