Crowley took delivery of Sunshine State, a 331,000-barrel, double-hull oil and chemical tanker, from General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego, Calif. for American Petroleum Tankers LLC.

The Sunshine State is the first vessel Crowley has taken delivery of since the company was contracted by APT to handle the shipyard construction management and the overall vessel management, crewing and operation of the company's growing fleet. The Sunshine State measures 600 feet by 106 ft by 39 ft and has the capacity to carry 331,000 barrels of product. It has a single screw, slow speed diesel plant propulsion system with speeds of 15 knots.

APT's fleet includes the Golden State, which was delivered in January 2009 and is on long-term charter to BP, and the Pelican State, which was delivered in June and is on long-term charter to Marathon. The Sunshine State is going to be chartered to Chevron U.S.A. Inc. The vessel will be delivered to Chevron U.S.A. Inc. in Pascagoula, Miss.

Two other sister vessels, the Empire State and the Evergreen State, which will both be charted to the Military Sealift Command, are scheduled to be delivered to Crowley in 2010.

(www.crowley.com)