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Singapore: Maritime industry leaders ink MoU to explore ammonia as marine fuel

Partners in MoU include: A.P. Moller – Maersk, Fleet Management Ltd, Keppel O&M, Maersk Mc-Kinney Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, Sumitomo Corp and Yara Intl.
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A.P. Moller – Maersk A/S, Fleet Management Limited, Keppel Offshore & Marine, Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, Sumitomo Corporation and Yara International ASA on Wednesday (10 March) announced the parties have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly conduct a feasibility study with the aim of pioneering a comprehensive and competitive supply chain for the provision of green ammonia ship-to-ship bunkering at the Port of Singapore.

Emitting zero CO2 when combusted, ammonia has long been considered as one of the most promising alternative marine fuels to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the shipping industry, which is in line with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) strategy to reduce CO2 emission by 2050.

In particular, green ammonia possesses great potential as it is produced from only renewable electricity, water and air with no CO2 emissions.

The Study aims to cover the entire end-to-end supply chain of ammonia bunkering, which includes the development of a cost-effective green ammonia supply chain, design of ammonia bunkering vessels, as well as related supply chain infrastructure.

Relevant government agencies and experts in Singapore will be engaged in working towards the standardization of safe operation and regulations. The study will assess the supply of ammonia including potential synergies with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as a starting point.

Considering the comparable requirements for mild refrigerated storage, vessels or barges initially designed for LPG can also handle brown, blue and green ammonia.

“Alongside Methanol, at A. P. Moller-Maersk we see green ammonia as an important future fuel for the decarbonisation of our fleet,” said Morten Bo Christiansen, VP and Head of Decarbonisation at A.P. Moller-Maersk.

“A dual fuel Ammonia engine is currently under development, but for green ammonia to fuel our vessels in the future we also have supply, infrastructure and safety related challenges to solve, not least when it comes to bunkering operations. We are pleased to work with renowned companies in this field to pave the way for Ammonia as a future fuel to decarbonise global shipping.”

“We are very pleased to support the development of the green transition pathway for our industry. We participate with our technical expertise across ship types to provide holistic solutions to sustainability, and alongside other alternative fuels such as methanol we feel ammonia will play a significant role,” added Kishore Rajvanshy, Managing Director at Fleet Management.

“There are multiple routes to the decarbonisation of the marine industry and we are pleased to be able to leverage our expertise in engineering and bunkering to spearhead the development of cleaner marine fuels such as ammonia,” said Chris Ong, CEO of Keppel Offshore & Marine.

“This includes the design of ammonia bunkering and ammonia-powered vessels, as well as developing the value chain necessary for the adoption of ammonia. This is in line with Keppel’s Vision 2030, which includes seizing opportunities in new energy.”

“It is key to understand the complete life cycle and safety implications of any future fuel across the supply chain. This project will address gaps in infrastructure and regulation and bring forward the solutions needed for safe operations and bunkering of ammonia in ports”, said Bo Cerup-Simonsen, CEO of Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.

“With this MoU, we embark on our ambition to build the world’s first Ship-to-Ship ammonia bunkering base, which highlight our commitment to offer our customers the best available and technologically proven solution to reduce the emission footprint from maritime transport,” said Hajime Mori, executive officer of Sumitomo Corporation.

“Ammonia as an energy carrier is an enabler of the energy transition and we recognize the need for value chain collaboration to make zero emission shipping by using ammonia as a fuel a reality,” noted Magnus Ankarstrand, EVP of Yara Clean Ammonia.

The following chart outlines the key roles for each partner:

Partners Key roles
A.P. Moller – Maersk A/S Maersk will provide input specific to container vessels and will work on development of safe and reliable bunkering procedures for ammonia.
Fleet Management Limited Fleet Management Limited will work on the development of safe and reliable operating bunkering procedures for the alternative marine fuels from manning service provider’s point of view.
Keppel Offshore & Marine Keppel will develop and design the new build ammonia bunkering vessel and ammonia-ready LPG bunkering vessel4 and lead in the coordination with relevant authorities in Singapore to establish port regulations and operational guidelines.
Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping The Center will map all safety related topics in an ammonia maritime technology roadmap. Outcome of the bunkering study will be integrated in a techno-economic model including detailed understanding of end-to-end cost and Life Cycle Analysis.
Sumitomo Corporation Sumitomo Corporation will structure, integrate and promote the end-to-end supply chain of green/blue/brown ammonia and LPG as the alternative marine fuels, which includes supply, transportation, storage and bunkering.
Yara International ASA Yara will lead in the feasibility evaluation of the supply of green/blue/brown ammonia to Singapore.

 

The following are the definitions for the various types of ammonia published by the group:

Green ammonia: Carbon-free ammonia synthesized from nitrogen and carbon-free hydrogen produced from renewable energy.

Blue ammonia: Carbon-neutral ammonia produced from natural gas, with the CO2 produced from the processes captured and prevented from entering the atmosphere.

Brown ammonia: Conventional ammonia produced from natural gas.

Ammonia-ready LPG bunkering vessel: LPG bunkering vessel, which can be modified and converted into ammonia bunkering vessels in the future.


Photo credit: Keppel Corporate Ltd
Published: 10 March, 2021

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Alternative Fuels

MOL inks bio-LNG bunker fuel supply deals with Titan and Axpo for car carriers in Europe

Titan, part of Amsterdam-based Molgas, will continue to supply bio-LNG fuel in Northwest Europe, while Axpo will take charge of supply in the Mediterranean region.
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MOL inks bio-LNG bunker fuel supply deals with Titan and Axpo for car carriers in Europe

Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) on Thursday (18 July) said it has signed new supply agreements in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean region to expand the use of bio-LNG marine fuel on MOL-operated LNG-fuelled car carriers.

Titan, part of Amsterdam-based Molgas, will continue to supply bio-LNG fuel in Northwest Europe, while Axpo will take charge of supply in the Mediterranean region.

MOL said the agreement makes it possible for its company to supply bio-LNG fuel for automobile carriers in the Mediterranean region, specifically Port of Malaga and Barcelona in Spain, following the bio-LNG fuel supply agreement in Western Europe, which commenced in March last year.

The bio-LNG fuel to be supplied in this initiative has a lifecycle carbon intensity (carbon dioxide emissions per unit of energy consumption) of -15 g-CO2/MJ or less, from production through consumption. Furthermore, this bio-LNG fuel has obtained International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC-EU). 

“Through this supply agreement, MOL has established a framework that ensures a continuous and stable supply of bio-LNG fuel not only in Northern Europe but also in the Mediterranean,” the company said.

As part of the group’s efforts to adopt alternative fuels and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it is utilising LNG-fuelled vessels as a bridge solution to facilitate the transition to carbon-neutral fuels such as bio-LNG and synthetic LNG (e-methane).

In 2025, MOL signed a bio LNG fuel supply agreement in Northwest Europe with Titan, part of the Molgas, and MOL has continued this bio LNG fuel supply agreement with the same company in 2026 as well.

 

Photo credit: Mitsui OSK Lines
Published: 19 June, 2026

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Biofuel

Kvasir Technologies lands EUR 10 million to scale bio bunker fuel production

The Danish biofuel startup raised the fund in a Series A investment round, which will provide capital to develop and design a new commercial production plant and scale climate-neutral drop-in marine fuel.

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Kvasir Technologies lands EUR 10 million to scale bio bunker fuel production

Danish biofuel startup Kvasir Technologies on Thursday (18 June) said it has raised EUR 10 million (USD 11.4 million) in a Series A investment round with participation from European Energy as a new investor, alongside existing investors EIFO, Maersk Growth and Footprint Fund. 

The Series A round provides capital to develop and design a new commercial production plant and scale climate-neutral drop-in fuel to be used in existing vessels.

At the same time, European Energy and Kvasir Technologies are entering into a strategic partnership by establishing the company KVEEN Biofuels, which is working towards the construction of a commercial-scale plant to produce biofuels using Kvasir Technologies’ patented technology.

“This investment round enables us to take the next crucial steps in developing and scaling our technology. At the same time, it underlines that there is still strong support for solutions that can deliver real climate impact in the maritime sector,” said Joachim Bachmann Nielsen, Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and CEO of Kvasir Technologies.

Kvasir Technologies, a spin-out from research at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), has developed a new technology to convert a wide range of non-edible lignin- based residues from agriculture and forestry into refined biofuels for shipping.

The climate-neutral biofuel can serve as an immediate replacement for fossil marine fuel without the need to modify ship engines or change existing infrastructure.

The new funding will be used, among other things, to scale the technology at Kvasir Technologies’ test facility in Fredericia, which can produce up to 2 metric tonnes (mt) of biofuel per day.

At the same time, development work will begin on the first commercial plant in the city of Aabenraa in the southern part of Jutland, which will demonstrate the technology on an industrial scale.

 

Photo credit: Kvasir Technologies
Published: 19 June, 2026

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Engine

BeHydro secures LR’s first class approval for 100% hydrogen marine engine

Engine has been developed and tested at ABC Engines’ facility in Ghent and is designed to operate entirely on hydrogen, without the need for pilot fuels.
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BeHydro secures LR’s first class approval for 100% hydrogen marine engine

Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) on Wednesday (17 June) said it has issued the first Type Approval Certificate for a 100% hydrogen-fuelled, spark-ignited marine engine.

The approval has been awarded to the hydrogen engine developed by BeHydro and confirms the design meets LR’s requirements for safety, performance and reliability in marine applications.

The engine has been developed and tested at ABC Engines’ facility in Ghent and is designed to operate entirely on hydrogen, without the need for pilot fuels. This simplifies system design and removes onboard carbon emissions at source, positioning the technology as a practical option for operators exploring zero-carbon propulsion.

Claudene Sharp-Patel, Global Technical Director, Lloyd’s Register, said: “The issue of this Type Approval Certificate demonstrates that hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion engine technology is continuing to mature as a viable option for maritime applications.

“For shipowners and operators, independent certification is essential in building confidence that emerging fuel technologies can meet the industry’s expectations for safety, reliability and operational performance.”

Tim Berckmoes, CEO at ABC Engines, said: “This LRS type approval of our BeHydro 100% hydrogen engines with zero emissions is a confirmation of the future proof technology that BeHydro can offer to innovative shipowners worldwide.

“The 100% hydrogen engine range is available from 900 kW till 2670 kW for different marine applications.”

LR previously awarded Type Approval to BeHydro for its hydrogen-powered dual-fuel engine in 2023, which was the first Type Approval for a dual-fuel hydrogen engine. 

 

Photo credit: Lloyd’s Register
Published: 19 June, 2026

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