China’s SDARI receives AiPs for alternative-fuelled ships including ammonia bunker vessel
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by Admin
China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s (CSSC) Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI) recently obtained Approval in Principle (AiP) certificates from several classification societies for four vessel designs.
Among the four is a 50,000 cubic metre (m3) ammonia bunkering vessel, which received AiP certificate from American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).
It integrates liquid ammonia transportation and bunkering functions and can meet the long-distance transportation needs of liquefied gas goods such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquid ammonia.
The ship is equipped with three IMO Type A independent liquid cargo tanks, and uses zero-carbon ammonia fuel to drive the main engine and generator, meeting the IMO greenhouse gas emission reduction strategy and actively responding to the latest greenhouse gas intensity (GFI) requirements of the 83rd meeting of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 83).
The entire ship is equipped with two independent 1,000 m3 deck liquid ammonia storage tanks, taking into account the ammonia fuel endurance requirements under multi-cargo loading and unloading, significantly improving operational economy and flexibility.
In response to the needs of bunkering operations, it is specially equipped with a retractable bow thruster, side thruster and adjustable propellers to meet ABS’ DPS-1 notation and adapt to the complex port environment of bunkering operations.
Meanwhile, a dual-fuel LNG/hydrogen-powered Ultramax bulker design and a 30,000 GT Roll-On/Roll-Off Passenger (ROPAX) ship designed to sail in the Mediterranean Sea received AiP certificates from RINA.
SDARI also received AiP from Lloyd’s Register (LR) for a 113,000 dwt ammonia dual-fuel liquid cargo ship. The optimised propulsion system, specially configured with an ammonia dual-fuel power system and a wind-assisted propulsion system, is expected to save more than 10% energy, especially at low speeds.
Photo credit: Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute
Published: 12 June, 2025
