Japanese shipping firm NYK Line on Friday (25 September) said it shared the NYK Group’s initiatives toward the practical deployment of ammonia-fueled vessels during the 12th session of the IMO Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC 12).
The session was held at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London from September 14 to 18.
During the session, NYK shared insights from operating Sakigake, the world’s first commercially operated ammonia-fuelled tugboat, which has accumulated two years of operational experience using ammonia fuel since its delivery in August 2024.
The company also provided an update on the development of an ammonia-fuelled medium gas carrier (AFMGC) scheduled for delivery in November this year, and shared the Group’s safety philosophy for ammonia-fueled vessels.
On 14 September, NYK donated a model ship of Sakigake to the IMO. During the presentation ceremony, NYK Managing Executive Officer Carl-Johan Hagman presented the model ship to IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez.
The ceremony provided an opportunity to introduce the NYK Group’s initiatives related to ammonia-fuelled vessels development and its efforts toward decarbonising international shipping to representatives of member states, international organizations, and maritime industry stakeholders.
On 17 September, Jun Kato, general manager of NYK’s Engineering Development Group, spoke at the IMO-hosted “Technical Seminar on the Use of Ammonia as Marine Fuel.”
Kato introduced the background to the development of two ammonia-fuelled vessels that NYK has been pursuing since 2021 as part of a Green Innovation Fund Project under Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
The seminar also featured presentations by a Master and Chief Engineer from Shin-Nippon Kaiyosha, the operator of Sakigake. Drawing on two years of practical experience operating an ammonia-fuelled tugboat, they shared observations on vessel safety, operational practices, and challenges associated with ammonia-fuelled vessel operations.
The NYK Group will continue to apply the knowledge accumulated through safety management, technological development, and the operation of Sakigake to the development and operation of oceangoing ammonia-fueled vessels.
By leveraging these experiences, the NYK Group aims to promote the practical deployment and wider adoption of ammonia-fuelled vessels, contribute to the establishment of a sustainable ammonia value chain, and support the realization of carbon neutrality in international shipping.
Photo credit: NYK Line
Published: 30 September, 2026
