Consortium to submit ammonia bunkering vessel design for MPA evaluation
- Published
by Admin
An Approval-in-Principle (AiP) certificate has been issued for an ammonia-fuelled ammonia bunkering vessel designed through the collaboration of Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and its partners in a consortium, according to a joint statement on Tuesday (25 February).
Singapore-headquartered Seatrium, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, LMG Marine AS (LMG Marin) provided engineering expertise for the vessel’s design, which will now be submitted to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) for evaluation.
“This vessel, if brought to fruition, will be the first bunkering vessel of its kind. It will contribute significantly to Singapore’s marine decarbonisation efforts, creating a positive ripple effect across the global maritime industry,” the consortium said.
“The design is an essential contribution to developing the infrastructure needed for ammonia bunkering, a crucial component in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in global shipping.”
The AiP certification validates the ammonia-fuelled ammonia bunkering vessel design’s compliance with stringent safety, technical, and environmental standards, solidifying the consortium’s leadership in the development of alternative fuels for maritime use.
Tsutomu Yokoyama, Executive Officer, NYK Line, said: “This Approval-in-Principle represents a critical milestone in our efforts to accelerate the adoption of clean ammonia as a sustainable marine fuel. With the rich ammonia expertise of NYK and our partners, as well as the great technical capabilities of Seatrium, we are setting new benchmarks for safety and efficiency while paving the way for a cleaner maritime future.”
The vessel design incorporates the consortium’s two key features to ensure safety and operational reliability: ammonia fuel dual-fuel engines from IHI Power Systems and a bunkering boom by TB Global Technologies. The engines significantly reduce GHG emissions using ammonia as a fuel. They are also installed on the world’s first commercial-use ammonia-fuelled tugboat, Sakigake, delivered in August 2024.
The bunkering boom features a unique technology called the High Speed Ammonia Purging Emergency Release System (ERS), which enables a reliable and efficient disconnection between vessels in an emergency.
Photo credit: NYK
Published: 26 February, 2025
