Taiwanese shipping firm Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation (Yang Ming) on Thursday (17 September) held a naming ceremony at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea, for YM Weight, the fourth vessel in its series of five 15,500 TEU-class LNG dual-fuel container vessels built by HD HHI. 

Mrs. Chiu-Lien Lin, the spouse of Administrative Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Mr. Kuo-Shian Lin, was invited as the Godmother to officially name the vessel and perform the ceremonial cord-cutting, wishing the ship smooth sailing and full loading on all future voyages. 

This series of vessels built by HD HHI has a length overall (LOA) of 364.97 meters, a breadth of 51 meters, and a capacity of approximately 15,600 TEU. 

The vessels are equipped with high-pressure dual-fuel main engines that run on both LNG and low-sulphur fuel oil, along with integrated navigational information, equipment monitoring, broadband maritime satellite systems, and multiple energy-saving systems to enhance operational efficiency and navigational safety. 

YM Weight, the fourth vessel in the series, is jointly classed by CR and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), bringing international classification expertise and capabilities to safeguard the safety and technical compliance of next-generation LNG dual-fuel vessels. 

Furthermore, following proactive underwater noise measurements, the vessel has achieved two industry firsts by receiving the Underwater Noise (UWN) notation from ABS and the Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) notation from CR. The dual recognitions underscore Yang Ming’s commitment to mitigate operational impact on marine life and sustainable development. 

In addition to expanding its next-generation fleet and strengthening its core shipping business, Yang Ming has continued to strengthen professional training for seafarers operating alternative-fuel vessels. 

Yang Ming’s senior Captain Ming-Yeong Pan will serve as the delivery captain of ‘YM Weight’. Captain Pan is the first seafarer in Taiwan to receive the Advanced Training Certificate under the International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code), Certificate No. 0001, issued by the Maritime and Port Bureau, MOTC. 

To date, 148 Yang Ming officers have completed advanced IGF Code training and will progressively undertake onboard training aboard LNG-fueled vessels and practical alternative-fuel bunkering training. 

Photo credit: Yang Ming Marine Transport
Published: 18 September, 2026

Martin Cartwright, Global Business Director of Gas Carriers & FSRUs at DNV highlighted that existing shipping experience in transporting ammonia as a cargo could provide a foundation for the development of larger-scale ammonia energy supply chains, but maintaining safety standards across new vessels, ports and terminals will be critical:

Few maritime sectors are watching the energy transition as closely as the gas carrier market. While decarbonization remains a powerful driver, recent geopolitical developments have also reinforced the importance of energy security and supply diversification. In that environment, ammonia is resurfacing as a means of transporting low-carbon energy between regions and connecting future production centres with energy-importing markets. 

Across East Asia, demand for blue and green ammonia is steadily taking shape as governments and industry seek pathways to decarbonization while seeking more diverse and resilient energy supplies. Countries such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan are exploring how ammonia, long established as a feedstock for fertilizer and other industrial products, can contribute to future energy needs, while producers in India, the Middle East, the USA and elsewhere are developing projects aimed at serving this demand. Similar policy and industrial drivers are emerging in Europe, although the dynamics differ between regions. The result is the gradual emergence of new trade routes and a global value chain built around ammonia production, transportation, and consumption, driving demand for the vessels needed to connect supply with demand.

India’s role in this story is becoming increasingly important. The country is progressing major green ammonia initiatives and positioning itself as a future export hub, supported by partnerships with prospective import markets in East Asia. Recent plans to develop green corridors supporting large-scale ammonia production for export to Japan and South Korea illustrate how rapidly these supply chains are evolving.

Of course, the development of this market has not been entirely straightforward.

Over the past year, several announced ammonia projects have been delayed, scaled back or cancelled altogether. Geopolitical uncertainty, changing economic conditions, and evolving policy frameworks have all influenced investment decisions. DNV analysis shows that projected ammonia production capacity has recently declined substantially compared with earlier expectations, reflecting a more cautious market outlook than many anticipated just a few years ago.

 Yet these developments should be viewed as a recalibration rather than a reversal. While some projects have been delayed or scaled back, governments continue to develop import strategies, infrastructure investment is advancing, and producers remain committed to serving future export markets. The long-term demand drivers remain intact.

 As production and demand centres become geographically separated, maritime transportation becomes essential to linking the two. DNV analysis suggests seaborne trade of ammonia as an energy carrier could reach around 120 million tonnes annually by 2050, approaching the scale of today’s LPG trade. If realized, this would create one of the most significant new maritime commodity trades in decades.

The timing and ultimate scale of that growth along with selecting the right vessel capacity remains challenging, but the direction of travel is increasingly clear. 

However, vessels are only one part of the equation.

As ammonia trade volumes grow, transportation capacity will need to be matched by investment throughout the value chain, including export terminals, import infrastructure, storage facilities and supporting logistics networks. The success of the ammonia market will depend on the industry’s ability to expand this ecosystem in step with growing demand.

The good news is that shipping is starting from a position of strength. Ammonia has been transported safely as a cargo for decades, supported by established regulations, operating procedures, and industry expertise.

Scaling volumes requires the application of existing knowledge and experience across a larger network of vessels, ports, terminals, and supply-chain partners. As new trade routes emerge between production hubs such as India and demand centres in East Asia, maintaining consistent safety standards and operational excellence will remain essential.

Safety will continue to be a central consideration as this market develops. Ammonia’s toxicity requires specialized handling procedures, appropriate vessel design, gas detection systems, crew competence and robust emergency-response arrangements. These measures are already well understood within the gas sector and provide a strong foundation for future growth. The priority now is ensuring that this expertise scales alongside the market itself.

Encouragingly, progress is already being made. Across Asia, the industry is moving beyond feasibility studies towards practical implementation. New vessel projects, bunkering trials, port developments and supply-chain partnerships are helping build the experience that will be required for larger-scale deployment in the future.

The growing demand for low-carbon ammonia in East Asia is helping establish entirely new energy trade flows, encouraging investment in production hubs such as India and creating demand for the ships and infrastructure needed to connect them.

The pace of development may vary, and setbacks are inevitable in any large-scale energy transition. But the broader trend remains clear. As ammonia increasingly assumes a role as a globally traded energy commodity, demand for ammonia transportation will continue to grow.

For the maritime industry, the opportunity is significant. The challenge now is ensuring that shipping capacity, terminals, storage infrastructure, and operational experience scale in step with growing demand.

Photo credit: DNV
Published: 18 September, 2026

Classification society DNV and the Liberian International Ship and Corporate Registry (LISCR) on Tuesday  (15 September) have awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) certificate to South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) for a new 12K LNG Bunkering Vessel design, tailored to the needs of cruise ships. 

The AiP was presented to Mr. Ryu Hong Ryeul, CTO / HD HHI, by Vidar Dolonen, Regional Manager for Korea & Japan at DNV, during a ceremony at Gastech 2026 yesterday.

The new concept, a dedicated LNG bunkering vessel (LNGBV) for the cruise segment, has been developed to address the unique operational challenges associated with refueling cruise ships. In particular, unlike conventional designs, the concept removes the bridge wings to avoid interfering with cruise ships’ lifeboats during bunkering operations.

To compensate for the reduced side visibility resulting from the removal of the bridge wings, the vessel is equipped with a CCTV system. In addition, side visibility safety and efficient bunkering operations have been enhanced through the addition of the HiNAS SVM (Hyundai Intelligent Navigation Assistant System Surround view monitoring system), which shows a 360-degree top-view AR image converted from inputs from multiple fish-eye cameras installed around the ship.

Mr. Ryu Hong Ryeul, CTO at HD HHI, said: “By enabling ship-to-ship (STS) LNG bunkering operations without the need for a floating pontoon, this 12K LNGBV bunkering vessel is expected to make LNG bunkering for cruise vessels more efficient and flexible. If this type of LNGBV becomes more widely adopted in the market, this could bring about significant changes in the demand structure and operating models of the LNGBV market because this new type of LNGBV is able to carry out bunkering more freely and flexibly, not only for cruise ships but also for conventional merchant vessels.”

Alfonso Castillero, Chief Executive Officer, Liberian Registry, said: “The Liberian Registry is pleased to support this Joint Development Project, which addresses the specific operational and safety considerations associated with LNG bunkering for cruise ships. The AiP represents an important milestone in advancing a practical and flexible vessel concept while maintaining a strong focus on safety, regulatory compliance and operational reliability.”

Vidar Dolonen, Regional Manager for Korea & Japan at DNV, added: “The transition to lower-emission shipping depends not only on vessels, but also on the supporting infrastructure that enables alternative fuels to be used safely and efficiently. With LNG continuing to play a leading role both the cruise sector and the maritime industry’s decarbonization efforts more broadly, this LNG bunkering vessel concept represents an important step toward building the capabilities needed for the maritime energy landscape.”

An Approval in Principle (AiP) is an independent assessment of a concept within a defined framework of requirements. It confirms the feasibility of the design and verifies that no significant technical barriers exist to its implementation.

Photo credit: DNV
Published: 17 September 2026