Crowley operating tugboat Veteran on biofuel

Crowley Shipping has begun using biodiesel to to power the Crowley tugboat Veteran, a ship assist and escort tug serving the Bay of San Francisco.

Crowley Shipping and Shell Trading (US) Co. (STUSCO) announced they recently initiated use of low-carbon biodiesel fuel to power the Crowley tugboat Veteran, a ship assist and escort tug serving the Bay of San Francisco.

The fueling contract between the companies reflects their commitment to sustainable operations that decrease the carbon footprint and greenhouse gas impacts of maritime operations, Crowley said.

The Veteran was built in 2014 by Nichols Brothers Boatbuilders of Seattle, Wash., as the Delta Audrey for Bay and Delta Maritime Services Inc. of San Francisco, Calif. The same year the vessel was chartered by Crowley Marine Services Inc. of San Francisco and was renamed the Veteran to honor U.S. military veterans.

The 100 ft., 194 gross ton vessel is powered by a pair of Caterpillar 3516C diesel engines with a combined rating of 6800 hp, which drive Rolls-Royce US255FP z-drives, resulting in a bollard pull of 182,000 lb. Her electrical service is provided by two Caterpillar C6.6 generator sets and tank capacity is 70,840 gal. of fuel, 8000 gal. of water and 1400 gal. of sewage.

The Veteran received its first bunkering of 24,000 gal. of low carbon biofuel in March in San Francisco, where Crowley has operated tugboats since 1906. The Veteran joins Crowley’s Vision, a U.S.-flagged, articulated tug-barge (ATB) that has continued to be bunkered with biofuel from STUSCO since December of 2019. The ATB serves the U.S. and Canadian West Coast. The biofuel runs the vessels’ main engines, generators and barge generators.

“Using biofuel continues Crowley’s commitment to enhancing the safety, sustainability and reliability of operations as stewards of the waters and communities that we serve,” said Crowley’s John Ara, vice president, commercial logistics and customer interface. “Our customers benefit from cleaner, efficient services that reduce our impact on the air and greenhouse gases, helping lead our industry toward greater sustainability.”

Crowley said the biofuel is lower in carbon intensity than conventional fuel, the use of which results in a reduction of greenhouse gas and air emissions such as carbon dioxide and sulfur oxide.