NYK, TBG to develop Japan’s first bunkering boom for ammonia STS transfer

Japanese shipping firm NYK on Thursday (17 August) said it signed a basic agreement with Japanese manufacturer of cargo handling equipment TB Global Technologies Ltd. (TBG) to jointly develop Japan’s first bunkering boom for ammonia, a device used to supply ammonia fuel between ships. 

NYK said together with TBG, they will significantly enhance the safety of supplying ammonia, which is highly toxic, to ships by employing TBG’s technology to ensure that the liquid does not leak. 

TBG will receive from NYK data related to the development of its ammonia bunkering vessel (ABV), which received Approval in Principle (AiP) from ClassNK in September 2022. NYK will also share with TBG the knowledge gained from Japan’s first LNG bunkering vessel, Kaguya, which is operated by Central LNG Marine Fuel Japan Corporation, an NYK affiliate.

A bunkering boom is a device consisting of rigid pipes and hoses that connect a bunkering vessel to another vessel to supply ammonia as a bunker fuel. It is highly durable because it is made of rigid pipe, and its swivel joints allow it to change direction freely, making it easy to operate.

“In this joint development, the two companies will employ TBG’s technology to prevent the liquid inside from leaking out when the bunkering boom is emergently released from a ship due to a natural disaster, thereby tackling the biggest challenge in ammonia fuel supply, which is preventing leakage,” NYK said. 

Photo credit: NYK
Published: 18 August, 2023