LNG-powered Quetzal ushers ‘next era’ of ocean shipping for Crowley

LNG-powered Quetzal, a newbuild containership chartered by U.S. shipping and logistics company Crowley from Eastern Pacific Shipping, has set sail on its inaugural commercial voyage, opening the “next era” of ocean shipping with a new class of vessels for the company in the U.S., Central America, and the Dominican Republic.

Quetzal is a 1,400 TEU containership built by Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in South Korea for Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS). The newbuild initiated service on April 11-12 at Port of Santo Tomás, Guatemala as one of four Avance Class vessels that will operate under a long-term time charter to Crowley.

The remaining vessels, Copan, Tiscapa, and Torgoz, are also scheduled to enter service in 2025.

These four Avance Class ships are expected to provide more cargo capacity while using lower-emissions LNG for fuel. The ships were specifically designed to accommodate a variety of container sizes, including 300 refrigerated container unit plugs.

The ships feature high-pressure ME-GI engines by German manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions, which are said to reduce methane slippage to “negligible levels” and make these vessels the most environmentally efficient in their category.

“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,” said Tom Crowley, Chairman and CEO.

“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.”

This latest addition to Crowley’s fleet builds on the company’s commitment to advancing LNG as a solution in the maritime industry’s energy transition.

In 2024, the shipping company welcomed an LNG bunker barge constructed by Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

Chartered by energy giant Shell, the 126-meter-long barge Progress has a capacity of 12,000 cubic meters and is dubbed the largest U.S. Jones Act-compliant vessel of its kind and is set to expand access to cleaner energy for ship operators at the Port of Savannah, Georgia.