Moran & EBDG patent innovative articulated conduit system for natural gas
Moran Towing Corporation, a long-time partner of Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) has been granted US Patent 8,967,174 for "Articulated conduit systems and uses thereof for fuel gas transfer between a tug and barge." The patent was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on May 2, 2014, and in general terms describes arrangements and methods for transferring boil off gas between a liquefied natural gas barge and its tug, while taking into account the relative motion between the two vessels, EBDG said in a press release.
"This design represents an advance in natural gas fuel transfer technology and demonstrates EBDG's and Moran's commitment to the emerging maritime LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) transport industry," stated Curt Leffers, PE, EBDG Project Manager and one of the inventors listed on the patent. "It also brings to realization the concept of using natural gas as fuel between a tug and a barge.”
The development of the system was the result of a collaborative effort over an approximate one year period by teams from both EBDG and Moran. The individual inventors listed on the patent include Sean Perreault; (Danbury, CT), Curtis Leffers; (Seattle, WA), Matthew Roddy; (Edmonds, WA), Matthew Wichgers; (Seattle, WA) and Jeremy Rice; (Seattle, WA).
Elliott Bay Design Group LLC (EBDG) is an employee-owned company with offices in Seattle, New Orleans and Ketchikan that provides naval architecture, marine engineering and production support services to owners, operators and shipyards across the country. With a focus on responsiveness, EBDG delivers designs that are better to build and better to operate.
Moran is a leading provider of marine towing and transportation services that, over a period of 155 years, has grown from a small tug assist company in New York Harbor to a position of preeminence in the US towing and marine transportation industry. The cornerstone of its success has been a long-standing reputation for safe, efficient service achieved through a combination of first-rate employees and outstanding vessels and equipment.
