NYK among Japanese firms to conduct joint study on ammonia bunkering

Japanese shipping firm NYK on Tuesday (12 December) said it signed an agreement with energy firm JERA and chemical company Resonac Holdings Corporation (Resonac) to jointly study the supply of ammonia as bunker fuel to ships.

As part of the Green Innovation Fund Project of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), NYK said it is conducting research and development of a tugboat equipped with a domestic ammonia-fuelled engine (A-Tug) together with other partner companies. 

As part of this initiative, in conjunction with the completion of the A-Tug scheduled for next June, NYK said the three parties will work together to realise the world’s first safe and secure supply of ammonia bunker fuel for ships.

The objectives of the joint study are:

・Establishing safe operation methods for supplying ammonia as marine fuel

・Establishing a system to transport and receive ammonia as marine fuel to and from the port area

・Lobbying relevant authorities to formulate rules on supplying ammonia as a marine fuel

“Currently, there are no examples of bunkering ammonia as marine fuel for ships equipped with ammonia-fuelled engines, and this joint study is expected to promote the use of ammonia as marine fuel in the shipping sector,” NYK said.

Photo credit: NYK
Published: 15 December, 2023