USCG Approves Foreign Built LNG Fuel Tanks for New Harvey Gulf Vessels
The US Coast Guard National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) issued a letter dated November 29, 2012 to Harvey Gulf International Marine approving the use of foreign built LNG tanks in its four vessels being constructed at Trinity Marine in Gulfport, MS.
USCG NVDC Director Timothy V. Skuby (Capt. USCG, Ret) said that ‘The standard has been set at 1.5% of a vessel’s lightship steelweight and, as such, would have to be constructed in the United States in order for the vessels to be considered built in the United States. If not, on the other hand, then, would not negatively implicate the first criterion set forth above. Consequently, based upon these findings and conclusions, the LNG fuel tanks described would not comprise part of the hull of the vessels and, such as, are precluded from being fabricated outside the United States. Thus, so long as they are assembled into the vessels in the United States, the use of foreign-fabricated fuel tanks will not jeopardize the coastwise qualification of the vessels”