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Crowley Launches New Dedicated Service to Transport U.S. LNG to Puerto Rico

LNG carrrier
Crowley-owned American Energy will provide regular LNG deliveries to Puerto Rico (Crowley)

Published Mar 18, 2025 1:42 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

U.S. shipping company Crowley in partnership with Naturgy is launching a new service to supply U.S.-produced LNG on a regular basis to Puerto Rico. It is part of a history-making move that brought a 1994 French-built LNG carrier into the U.S. registry using a provision added to the Jones Act for shipping LNG or LPG to Puerto Rico.

Crowley acquired the LNG vessel in December 2024 from a subsidiary of Malaysia’s MISC Berhad. After U.S. Coast Guard inspection and approval, the vessel was renamed American Energy and placed in the U.S. registry as of January 2025. It had previously operated as the Intan and was registered in Liberia. The vessel, originally known as Puteri Intan, was built by France’s Chantiers de l'Atlantique. 

The 900-foot-long (274 meters) LNG carrier has a capacity 130,400 cubic meters (34.4 million gallons) per voyage and is now owned by Crowley and will be crewed by U.S. mariners providing regular service from the U.S. Gulf Coast to Puerto Rico. Crowley reports it will operate in accordance with the U.S. Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1996. A provision made it possible for a foreign-built vessel to enter the U.S. registry for the trade to supply gas to Puerto Rico.

 

 

“The entry into service of?American Energy?marks a significant step for fuel supply reliability in Puerto Rico for our energy grid, which will greatly benefit our people,” said Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón. “This partnership is an initiative to act using existing regulations to increase access to a U.S.-based LNG source that expands our options for the stabilization of our energy grid, as we work towards providing our residents and businesses a more consistently reliable power generation source.”

Crowley highlights that the new operation builds on its 70-plus years of service to Puerto Rico. Annually, Crowley reports it delivers more than 94 million gallons of LNG through its LNG Loading Terminal in Penuelas as well as provides ocean delivery and land transportation using ISO tank containers. The company also operates the full-service marine Isla Grande cargo terminal in San Juan for its container and roll-on/roll-off vessels, including two LNG-fueled ships, and logistics services. 

 

U.S. flag raising on the American energy which has a homeport of Jacksonville, Florida (Crowley)

 

Crowley and Naturgy have entered into a multi-year agreement that provides for the regular delivery of the U.S. mainland-sourced LNG to Naturgy’s operating facility in Penuelas, Puerto Rico.  

“This contract strengthens our presence in the global LNG market, particularly in the United States, and allows Puerto Rico to obtain a stable and competitive energy supply route,” said Jon Ganuza, general manager of supply and wholesale markets, Naturgy.  

The U.S. Merchant Marine Act of 1920, widely known as the Jones Act, requires that cargo transported by ship between U.S. ports must be handled on vessels that are owned and registered in the U.S. While it also requires U.S.-built ships, provisions and exemptions have been provided when unique vessels, such as LNG carriers, are not available so that the ships can be added to the U.S. registry.

The new LNG service, which is expected to travel to the island twice each month comes as the recently-elected governor also looks to strengthen the island’s manufacturing sector. Today, she announced a new initiative to reshore manufacturing to the island as part of an effort to attract investment and strengthen the job market and economy of Puerto Rico.