BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. - Broward County's Port Everglades this week welcomed its first cargo ship fueled by Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), an environmentally friendly alternative fuel. The Crowley ship, Quetzal, is one of four new-build vessels using cleaner fuel that the Florida-based global company plans for trade among the U.S., Central America and the Caribbean Basin.

Several cruise ships fueled with LNG, including Princess Cruises' Sun Princess and Silversea's Silver Nova and Silver Ray, already visit Port Everglades, however, this is the first LNG-powered cargo ship to call.

Broward County Commissioners Lamar P. Fisher and Robert McKinzie joined port staff during a dockside plaque presentation to recognize Crowley's commitment to decarbonization and their trade partnership. This was also Queztal's first U.S. port call as part of its route between Central America and the U.S.

The Quetzal, like the other three forthcoming Avance Class container ships, has a capacity for 1,400 TEUs (20-foot container equivalent units) and 300 refrigerated unit plugs for transporting perishable cargo.

"Over the last year, our port has welcomed several cruise ships that use LNG, and we applaud Crowley's efforts to reduce its impact when transporting perishables through Florida's No. 1 port for perishable goods," said CEO and Port Director Joseph Morris. "It's clear that our maritime future relies on innovation and continuous evolution."

Ships using LNG, instead of diesel, can significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions such as sulfur oxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide while eliminating particulate matter.  According to Crowley, the new class of vessels also have high-pressure ME-GI engines and reduce methane slippage to negligible levels.

About Port Everglades
A global powerhouse for international trade, Port Everglades handles an average of one-million TEUs annually (20-foot equivalent units, the industry standard measurement for container volumes) and serves as a gateway to Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. Located within the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood, Port Everglades is in the heart of one of the world's largest consumer regions, including a constant flow of approximately 143 million visitors statewide and more than 6 million residents within a 100-mile radius. Port Everglades has direct access to the interstate highway system and the Florida East Coast Railway's near-dock, 43-acre intermodal container transfer facility, and is closer to the Atlantic Shipping Lanes than any other Southeastern U.S. port. Ongoing capital improvements and expansion totaling $3 billion within the next 20 years ensure that Port Everglades continues to handle future growth in container traffic. More information about Broward County's Port Everglades is available at PortEverglades.net or by calling toll-free in the United States 1-800-421-0188 or emailing PortEvergladesCargo@broward.org.

About Crowley
Crowley is a private-held, U.S.-owned and -operated maritime, energy and logistics solutions company. For more than 130 years, its portfolio of businesses has provided innovative ocean and land transportation services for the commercial and government sectors. As a global ship owner and operator, Crowley serves 36 nations and island territories and is one of the leading employers of U.S. mariners. Visit www.crowley.com to learn more.
 

April 17, 2025

Media Contact:
Joy Oglesby, Public Information Officer
joyoglesby@broward.org
954-468-0195