Alternative Fuels

LR: Ammonia powered Joint Development Project named: ‘The Castor Initiative’

The naming of the project is significant as Castor is the second-brightest star in the Gemini constellation, but actually consists of six stars which appear as one, it said.

Published

5 years ago

February 26, 2021

Admin

UK-based classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) on Wednesday (24 February) said little more than a year after a Joint Development Project (JDP) to develop an ammonia-fuelled tanker design was launched by LR, MISC Berhad, MAN Energy Solutions (MAN) and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), the partners have received a welcome boost.

Yara International ASA, a giant Norwegian chemicals company and major ammonia producer, and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) have signed up to join what has been named ‘The Castor Initiative’, taking the JDP partnership to six.

The naming of the project is significant, noted LR. Castor is the second-brightest star in the Gemini constellation, but actually consists of six stars which appear as one.

In a webinar yesterday hosted by Randall Krantz, a Senior Project Adviser at the Getting to Zero Coalition, the partners revealed that they are on track to design, build, and commission the world’s first ammonia-fuelled tanker by 2025.

Since the project began in January 2020, LR has made significant progress in early safety appraisals and research into the development of suitable fuel storage and supply systems, and the necessary risk assessments that will be required.

“Demonstrators like this are critical for 2050,” said LR’s Marine and Offshore Director, Mark Darley.

“Zero-carbon vessels are a reality and need to enter the fleet by 2030. They will be ready before the shoreside infrastructure. But we will all learn from this project, and others like it, which will help in future developments and save money in the longer term.”

Meanwhile, MAN has made considerable progress in identifying the engineering parameters that will need to be adapted to use ammonia as a fuel in an internal combustion engine.

Brian Østergaard Sørensen, a MAN Vice President and Head of Research & Development into two-stroke engines, confirmed that the technology is available and ammonia is an interesting fuel option.

Conceding that there are certainly safety challenges relating to its use as a marine fuel, he said that the chemical is relatively easy to handle, already widely shipped by sea and well-known in the industry.

SHI is already working on the design of a tanker and will build the vessel when the time comes. The shipbuilder’s Vice President of Shipbuilding & Drilling Sales Engineering, Haeki Jang, emphasised the importance of a first demonstrator vessel as a means of minimising uncertainty. The project, he said, was essential to identify challenges along the way.

MISC will own and operate the tanker. The Group’s President and Chief Executive, Yee Yang Chien, highlighted the fact that the project involves different stakeholders with a common goal. The collaboration is encouraging, he said, because the industry needs “multiple parallel initiatives” like this.

The partners emphasised the importance of the new members. With Yara International, the six-party collaboration now includes one of the world’s largest ammonia producers and a pioneer in the development of green ammonia, which is produced without using any carbon-related energy.

Rob Stevens, the company’s Vice President of Ammonia Energy and Shipping, joined the webinar after Yara’s involvement had been announced. “Ammonia can be an enabler in the energy transition and especially towards zero-emission shipping,” he declared.

The company has been producing fertilisers using renewable energy for many decades, he revealed, and has successfully produced green ammonia in the past. The company plans to re-start green ammonia production, he said, and its experience in addressing the risk of emissions at its ammonia plants would contribute knowledge to the JDP.

Meanwhile, Singapore’s MPA will add its expertise to safety regulations relating to ammonia infrastructure and bunkering operations.

LR notes the partners recognise that even more collaboration is needed to complete the chain, not only in this project, but in shipping’s decarbonisation process generally. MISC’s Yee Yang Chien welcomed the new participants but pointed out that shipping’s banks, financiers and customers also “need to join hands with us”.

Photo credit: Lloyd’s Register
Published: 26 February, 2021

Biofuel

South Korea: S-Oil launches B30-VLSFO bio bunker fuel supply

Company says it has established an integrated operating system in the Ulsan region covering the entire value chain, from feedstock procurement and blending to supply.

Published

30 minutes ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

South Korea: S-Oil launches B30-VLSFO bio bunker fuel supply

South Korean petroleum and refining company S-Oil on Wednesday (22 July) said it has started supplying B30 very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), as the company seeks to support shipping’s decarbonisation efforts and growing demand for lower-carbon bunker fuels.

The company said its B30 VLSFO contains 30% sustainable biofuel blended with conventional VLSFO and can be used without requiring modifications to existing vessels, enabling shipowners to comply more readily with emissions regulations from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Union (EU).

S-Oil said it has established an integrated operating system in the Ulsan region covering the entire value chain, from feedstock procurement and blending to supply. The system combines VLSFO produced at its Onsan refinery with biofuel production facilities and storage infrastructure in the Ulsan region, allowing the entire process to be carried out within a single logistics hub.

According to the company, the integrated supply chain reduces transportation requirements during production while improving supply efficiency and reliability.

S-Oil also highlighted Ulsan Port as a strategic location for marine biofuel supply, noting the port has strong demand for bio-bunker fuels, particularly from car carriers, enabling prompt and stable deliveries to key customers.

An S-Oil official stated: “In the bio-marine fuel market, not only product quality but also securing a stable supply of raw materials and an efficient supply system are important competitive advantages.

“Based on our existing bunkering business capabilities and the excellent supply infrastructure in the Onsan area, we plan to supply stable and competitive low-carbon fuel.”

Photo credit: S-Oil
Published: 23 July, 2026

Bunker Fuel

Antwerp-Bruges biofuel bunker sales drops 36% on year in Q2 2026, LNG down 13.4%

Biofuel recorded 26,833 mt in Q2 2026 with 41,939 mt recorded in the same period the year before while port data showed 76,513 mt of LNG being delivered in Q2 2026, down from 88,328 mt.

Published

36 minutes ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges recently published bunker fuel sales data for the second quarter (Q2) of 2026.

Total bunker sales at the port was 2.05 million metric tonnes (mt) in Q2 2026, compared to sales of 1.99 million mt (+3%) during the similar period in 2025.

Deliveries of ultra low sulphur fuel oil, very low sulphur fuel oil, high sulphur fuel oil and marine gas oil in Q2 2026 (against on year) recorded respectively 164,987 mt (+43.6% from 114,917 mt), 537,926 mt (+12.8% from 476,746 mt), 659,182 mt (+11.6% from 590,544 mt) and 366,329 (-15.7% from 434,766 mt).

Biofuel recorded 26,833 mt in Q2 2026 with 41,939 mt (-36%) recorded in the same period the year before.

Port data showed 76,513 mt of liquefied natural gas (LNG) being delivered as a marine fuel in Q2 2026, down by 13.4% from 88,328 mt in Q2 2025. Meanwhile, there has been no deliveries of methanol at the port for the year so far.

Photo credit: Port of Antwerp-Bruges
Published: 23 July, 2026

Methanol

World Fuel and partners complete first green methanol bunkering of car carrier in Shanghai

Operation involved the delivery of approximately 2,800 MT of green methanol to “Arctic Tern” via a ship-to-ship transfer using SIPG Energy’s dedicated methanol bunkering vessel “M/V Hai Gang Zhi Yuan”.

Published

1 day ago

July 22, 2026

Admin

World Fuel and partners complete first green methanol bunkering of car carrier in Shanghai

Marine fuel provider World Fuel on Tuesday (21 July) said it successfully completed the first green methanol bunkering of M/V Arctic Tern, with EUKOR Car Carriers and SIPG Energy at the Port of Shanghai.

Arctic Tern is the first vessel in the new Shaper Class series of car carriers.

The operation involved the delivery of approximately 2,800 MT of green methanol to Arctic Tern via a ship-to-ship transfer using SIPG Energy’s dedicated methanol bunkering vessel M/V Hai Gang Zhi Yuan, the largest vessel of its kind in operation.

The bunkering operation was carried out at Haitong Terminal, Waigaoqiao Port Area, Shanghai Port, with cargo handling operations conducted simultaneously during bunkering.

This marks EUKOR Car Carriers’ first green methanol operation and the first time Arctic Tern has bunkered methanol since its delivery on 9 July. The operation marked the first bunkering at Shanghai Port of green methanol produced locally in Shanghai for an international PCTC operator.

It also demonstrated the city’s integrated green methanol value chain, spanning local production, storage and bunkering, and established a replicable “Shanghai Model” for green methanol supply.

World Fuel arranged the supply and delivery of the fuel on behalf of EUKOR Car Carriers, working with SIPG Energy as the physical supplier at the Port of Shanghai.

The green methanol supplied was produced from municipal solid waste, ISCC-EU certified, and had a carbon intensity value below 25 gCO₂e/MJ.

Arctic Tern is the first of fourteen Shaper Class vessels ordered by Wallenius Wilhelmsen. With a capacity of 9,300 car equivalent units and methanol dual-fuel capability, the vessel will be operated by EUKOR Car Carriers, jointly owned by Wallenius Wilhelmsen and Hyundai Motor Group. Following her first green methanol bunkering, Arctic Tern will continue her maiden voyage from Asia to Europe.

Xavier Leroi, COO Shipping Services at Wallenius Wilhelmsen and CEO of EUKOR Car Carriers, said: “Completing Arctic Tern’s first green methanol bunkering shortly after delivery is a significant milestone towards our decarbonisation ambition for both EUKOR Car Carriers and Wallenius Wilhelmsen. It demonstrates how investments in next-generation vessel technology and fuel flexibility are being translated into real-world operations.

“This achievement reflects the strong collaboration between all parties involved. Together, we have shown how partnerships across the maritime value chain can help make lower-emission fuels available and operationally viable at scale.”

Mark Tamsitt, SVP Global Marine Sales at World Fuel, said, “The first bunkering event with a new fuel is a significant moment for any shipowner, and our role is to make it as seamless as possible. By connecting EUKOR Car Carriers with SIPG Energy’s proven green methanol capability at the Port of Shanghai, we were able to deliver on reliable supply, fuel quality, and safe processes. As more of our customers bring methanol dual-fuel tonnage into service, we are committed to being the partner that makes these kinds of operations routine.”

Mr. Zhang Da, General Manager of SIPG Energy, said, “Welcoming Arctic Tern to the Port of Shanghai for her first green methanol bunkering demonstrates the strength and maturity of our supply capability. Building on our well-established methanol ship-to-ship bunkering services for container vessels, we have already extended such services to pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs). This bunkering sets a new record for the largest single SIMOPs green methanol bunkering for PCTCs in China, marking another step in building Shanghai’s position as a global green energy hub for international shipping.”

This operation follows Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s announcement on 9 July that Arctic Tern would complete her first methanol bunkering shortly after delivery. The vessel entered service on routes between Asia and Europe immediately following handover from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Nanjing.

Photo credit: World Fuel
Published: 22 July, 2026