Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center shares concept design of 3,500 TEU ammonia-fuelled containership

Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping on Thursday (12 June) unveiled a report focusing on the concept design of a 3,500 Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) ammonia-fuelled container vessel.

The study presents a detailed concept design of a 3,500 TEU container feeder, developed with a focus on ammonia system design principles.

The concept design was optimised to achieve the required safety level while also limiting reductions in cargo capacity. As a result, this design concept marks an advancement in technically qualifying ammonia as a viable maritime fuel.

“Although the concept design is an important first step in qualifying a fuel pathway, the final design and operational details must ultimately deliver a safe vessel,” it stated.

“We addressed this aspect early in our design process with reference to the technical safety barriers listed above. We confirmed the concept design’s ability to achieve an acceptable safety level through a HAZID, hazard and operability study (HAZOP), and QRA.

“These processes have resulted in two Approvals in Principle of the concept design awarded by ABS and Lloyd’s Register (LR).”

Note: The full report concept design of a 3,500 TEU ammonia-fuelled container vessel may be downloaded here.

Photo credit: Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping
Published: 17 June 2025