JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Monday was a big day for the Jacksonville Port Authority as two 260-ton liquefied natural gas storage tanks made Jacksonville their home.
Crowley Maritime Corp. and Eagle LNG Partners welcomed the arrival of the two cryogenic LNG storage tanks for a new LNG facility on Talleyrand Marine Terminal and explained how it will change the future of the shipping industry.
JaxPort has the first-ever fueling station to offer LNG for cargo ships -- placing the River City on the map for world-class transportation.
"It's bringing leading edge technology to Jax and shines a light on Jax and makes us known as leaders in the industry," said Tucker Gilliam, vice president of special projects for Crowley Maritime.
Gilliam said LNG is the cleanest fossil fuel available today. The mega storage tanks will be used to fuel the company's first-ever LNG-powered ships. The fuel station and LNG ships will mean eco-friendly trade to Puerto Rico while at a faster and more efficient rate.
"Jacksonville is essentially leading the world here with this fueling terminal, the bunker and these ships right here in Jax," said David Stevenson, vice president of engineering for Eagle LNG.
The tanks -- each one half the length of a football field -- are each able to hold 100 million liters of LNG fuel, which means enough for 14 days of travel -- two round trips to Puerto Rico.
Cutting down on travel time means consumers will be able to get their goods sooner. Each ship will be able to carry up to 400 cars and 300 containers. They will replace the existing fleet, which runs on diesel fuel.
Crowley has invested $500 million in the new technology, bringing more jobs to Puerto Rico and keeping jobs here in Jacksonville.