Crowley’s new LNG-powered containership ‘Quetzal’ has successfully begun its inaugural commercial voyage, opening the company’s next era of ocean shipping with a new class of vessels for the US, Central America and the Dominican Republic.
With capacity for up to 1,400 TEU, Quetzal and its three forthcoming sister Avance class ships will provide more cargo capacity while using low-emission LNG for fuel. Quetzal and its sister ships were specifically designed to accommodate a variety of container sizes, including 300 reefer units.
The Avance class – pronounced in Spanish “ah-bahn-seh” with the English meaning of advance – is said to be suited to quickly transport perishable goods like food and pharmaceuticals, as well as retail products, apparel, breakbulk cargo and other essential items. Quetzal began at Port of Santo Tomás, Guatemala. Named to honour Central American culture and communities, the Avance class vessels, built by Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Korea, are all expected to enter service in 2025 from owner Eastern Pacific Shipping, operating under long-term charters to Crowley.
Tom Crowley, Chairman and CEO, said: “Quetzal and the Avance class ships represent the next generation of Crowley’s innovation and leadership in supply chain solutions for international shipping in the Caribbean Basin. The vessels provide frequent service and greater capabilities to deliver cargo at peak timing while carrying forward Crowley’s high operational standards. With the company’s decades of service in Central America and the Dominican Republic, the Avance class is a strategic investment by Crowley in the future of this international trade, setting a new standard for environmental efficiency.”
Quetzal builds on Crowley’s commitment to advancing LNG as a solution in the maritime industry’s energy transition. The Avance class ships feature high-pressure ME-GI engines by MAN Energy Solutions, which reduce methane slip to negligible levels, considered to make these vessels the most environmentally efficient in their category. LNG itself lowers vessel GHG emissions, including SOx, NOx and CO2, while eliminating particulate matter compared with conventional diesel fuel.
Image: First of Crowley’s Avance class ships (source: Crowley Maritime)
