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Japanese firms receive NEDO approval to begin ammonia-fuelled vessel demonstration projects

Tugboat and ammonia gas carrier will be powered by domestically produced ammonia-fuelled engines developed by IHI Power Systems and Japan Engine Corporation.

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NYK Line, Japan Engine Corporation, IHI Power Systems Co., Ltd., and Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd. on Tuesday (26 October) said they have received an approval from Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) for the companies to participate in a demonstration project to commercialise vessels equipped with a domestically produced ammonia-fueled engine as part of the Green Innovation Fund project.

The demonstration project scheduled to begin in December with ClassNK aims to use ammonia as fuel to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during voyages and thus introduce an ammonia-fueled vessel for the good of society earlier than 2030. 

The companies will eventually work toward the goal of achieving zero emissions from ships in the future.

The companies and ClassNK’s greatest goals are to realise the development of an ammonia-fueled vessel that is internationally competitive ahead of other countries, and to lead the development of safety guidelines and laws and regulations related to ammonia-fueled vessels. 

In order to achieve these goals, marine engine manufacturers, shipyards, class societies, and shipping companies in Japan will work together to consistently cooperate from the research and development stage to engine development, shipbuilding, and commercialisation, says NYK Line.

With the entry into force of the Paris Agreement in 2016, the global momentum for decarbonisation is increasing. The Japanese government has declared that it will reduce GHG emissions to zero as a whole by 2050 and aim for carbon neutrality, and the energy shift toward the realisation of a carbon-free society is accelerating.

Reducing GHG emissions is also an urgent issue in the shipping industry, and research and development is being conducted to convert marine fuel from conventional heavy fuel oil to liquefied natural gas (LNG) and to popularise next-generation zero-emission fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia. 

Ammonia does not emit carbon dioxide (CO2) even when burned, so it is expected to be a next-generation fuel that contributes to global warming countermeasures. 

Furthermore, it is said that by utilising CO2-free hydrogen for hydrogen, which is the raw material for ammonia, it is possible to achieve zero emissions in consideration of the fuel life cycle. 

Under this background, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry started the Green Innovation Fund project toward carbon neutrality by 2050, and NEDO has approved the Companies’ development of vessels equipped with a domestically produced ammonia-fueled engine as part of the Green Innovation Fund project, it states.

Overview of demonstration project and the roles of Companies

NEDO has approved these demonstration projects, (1) the development and operation of an ammonia-fueled tugboat and (2) the development and operation of an ammonia-fueled ammonia gas carrier, and the companies will carry them out.

(1) Development and operation of an ammonia-fueled tugboat (A-Tug)

The ammonia fuel will have a flame retardant bottleneck, which is difficult to ignite, so this project assumes that a small amount of fuel oil will be used as pilot fuel. Targeting the delivery of A-Tug in FY2024, the companies aim to reduce GHG emissions by achieving an ammonia fuel mixed combustion rate of 80% or higher.

The companies will confirm safe operation in demonstrations aimed to improve the mixed combustion rate with a view to achieving zero GHG emissions by using biofuel as a pilot fuel in the future.

NYK Line Project management, ship design and legal compliance
IHI Power Systems Co., Ltd. Research and design of four-stroke engine
Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK)    Safety assessment of A-Tug

 

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Image of A-Tug

(2) Development and operation of an ammonia-fueled ammonia gas carrier (AFAGC)

Targeting the ship’s delivery in FY2026, the Companies will develop and operate an ammonia-fueled ammonia gas carrier (AFAGC) with the concept of transporting ammonia as cargo and using the cargo and ammonia gas vaporized from the cargo as fuel during the voyage.

The Companies aim to reduce GHG emissions by achieving a maximum ammonia fuel mixed combustion rate of 95% for the main engine that moves the ship, and an ammonia fuel mixed combustion rate of 80% or more for the auxiliary engine that runs the generator.

NYK Line Project management, ship design and legal compliance
Japan Engine Corporation Research and design of two-stroke engine (main engine)****
IHI Power Systems Co., Ltd. Research and design of four-stroke engine (auxiliary engine)
Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd. Development of hull, examination of ship construction method
Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK)  Safety assessment of AFAGC

 

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Image of AFAGC

 

Photo credit: NYK Line
Published: 27 October, 2021

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Bunker Fuel

Singapore: Bunker fuel sales drops by 6.8% on year in May 2026

4.55 million mt of various marine fuel grades were delivered at the world’s largest bunkering port in May, down from 4.88 million mt recorded during the similar month in 2025, according to MPA data.

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Singapore: Bunker fuel sales drops by 6.8% on year in May 2026

Sales of marine fuel at Singapore port dropped by 6.8% on year in May 2026, according to data from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

In total, 4.55 million metric tonnes (mt) (exact 4,548,000 mt) of various marine fuel grades were delivered at the world’s largest bunkering port in May, down from 4.88 million mt (4,878,100 mt) recorded during the similar month in 2025.

Deliveries of marine fuel oil, low sulphur fuel oil, ultra low sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in May (against on year) recorded respectively 1.79 million mt (-5.3% from 1.89 million mt), 2.29 million mt (-6.5% from 2.45 million mt), zero (-100% from 1,200 mt), 600 (35.2% from 1,700 mt) and zero (from zero).

Singapore: Bunker fuel sales drops by 6.8% on year in May 2026

Bio-blended variants of marine fuel oil, low sulphur fuel oil, ultra low sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in May, (against on year) recorded respectively 11,600 mt (-71.6% from 40,900 mt), 36,400 mt (-62.1% from 96,100 mt), zero (from zero), zero (from zero) and zero (from zero). B100 biofuel bunkers, introduced in February last year, recorded 12,800 mt (+573.7% from 1,900 mt). 

LNG and methanol sales were 70,300 mt (+56.2% from 45,000 mt) and zero (from zero) respectively. There were no recorded sales of ammonia for the month and so far since 2025.

 

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 15 June, 2026

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Alternative Fuels

Hong Kong expands support for alternative bunker fuels with new vessel incentives

Port Dues Incentive Scheme for Green Maritime Fuel-related Vessels and the Green Vessels Registration Incentive Scheme will be launched on 16 June for a period of three years.

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Hong Kong

The Marine Department (MD) on Friday (12 June) announced that the Port Dues Incentive Scheme for Green Maritime Fuel-related Vessels and the Green Vessels Registration Incentive Scheme will be launched on 16 June for a period of three years, with a view to encouraging more vessels to bunker green maritime fuels in Hong Kong and accelerating the green transformation of the Hong Kong fleet.

To leverage the trend of decarbonisation in the international shipping industry, the Government has committed in the Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering promulgated in November 2024 the provision of various financial incentives to help lower the cost of transitioning to green maritime fuels by the maritime industry and expedite the development of Hong Kong as a green port. 

In this year’s Budget, the Government has allocated approximately $34 million to implement relevant initiatives, including providing port dues concessions for vessels powered by green maritime fuels as well as those carrying green maritime fuels, and offering incentives for green fuel-powered vessels registered in Hong Kong.

The Port Dues Incentive Scheme for Green Maritime Fuel-related Vessels provides concessions for green maritime fuel-related vessels, including ocean-going vessels (OGVs) powered by or bunkering specified green maritime fuels in Hong Kong, and OGVs carrying green maritime fuels for supply in Hong Kong. 

Specified green maritime fuels covered under the Scheme refer to liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol, ammonia, hydrogen, and bio-diesel (blended with at least 20% bio-fuel). Eligible OGVs conducting specified operation(s) throughout their stay in Hong Kong may apply for a reimbursement of their port dues (including port facilities and light dues, anchorage dues, buoy dues and fees for port clearance permits) paid in accordance with the Shipping and Port Control Regulations (Cap. 313A). The amount of the incentive is equivalent to 25% or 50% of the port dues paid.

Eligible shipowners or their agents must submit the application form together with the required supporting documents to the MD within three months of their vessels’ completion of the above operation(s) in and departure from Hong Kong. The approved incentive amount will generally be disbursed within 30 working days. The amounts of incentives applicable to different types of OGVs are set out in the Annex.

A spokesman for the MD, said: “Following the launch of the Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering Incentive Scheme last year, the new initiative further provides incentives to encourage the industry to adopt green maritime fuels, which are often more expensive than traditional fuels, and to build up demand for green maritime fuel bunkering services in Hong Kong early. 

“This will in turn attract other players in the green maritime fuel bunkering supply chain, such as bunker suppliers, bunker operators and traders, to establish and expand their operations in Hong Kong. We expect this scheme to attract more than 1,000 visits to Hong Kong by green maritime fuel-related vessels.”

Meanwhile, the Green Vessels Registration Incentive Scheme provides incentives to green fuel-powered vessels currently or newly registered in the Hong Kong Shipping Registry (HKSR), thereby attracting and retaining the registration of green vessels in Hong Kong.

Under the scheme, all Hong Kong-registered ships that use green maritime fuels as their primary propulsion fuel, which include LNG, methanol, ammonia and hydrogen but exclude conventional fuels and biofuels, will be eligible to apply. 

During the three-year period of the scheme, each eligible vessel will be provided with a subsidy of HKD 60,000 once every year, and may enjoy one or at most three years’ incentives depending on the timing and duration that the vessel is registered with the HKSR. 

Each vessel is eligible to receive a maximum subsidy of HKD 180,000. Approval and disbursement of the incentives will take approximately three months from the receipt of an application with all required supporting documents. The vessel’s Hong Kong registration status must be maintained on the date the incentive is disbursed. 

The spokesman, said: “This scheme will encourage vessels using green maritime fuels to register in Hong Kong and promote the green transformation of the Hong Kong fleet, which will further enhance the overall competitiveness of the HKSR. We estimate that this scheme will attract approximately 100 vessels powered by green maritime fuels to register with the HKSR. Alongside the vessels powered by green maritime fuels currently registered in Hong Kong, we expect that around 170 such vessels registered in Hong Kong will benefit from the scheme within three years of implementation.”

Note: For details of the Port Dues Incentive Scheme for Green Maritime Fuel-related Vessels and the Green Vessels Registration Incentive Scheme, visit the MD’s webpages (www.mardep.gov.hk/filemanager/en/share/forms/pdf/md558.pdf ; www.mardep.gov.hk/filemanager/en/share/forms/pdf/md743.pdf).

 

Photo credit: M on Unsplash
Published: 15 June, 2026

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Biofuel

Bunker brokerage Norwegian Energy Trading renews ISCC certification for biofuel trading

‘Our biofuel volumes have been growing steadily, and we’re committed to keeping pace with where the market is genuinely heading — not where it’s announced to be heading,’ says firm.

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Bunker brokerage Norwegian Energy Trading renews ISCC certification for biofuel trading

Bunker brokerage Norwegian Energy Trading (NET) recently announced that its International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) certification for biofuel trading has been renewed for another year.

NET said certified mass balance, full chain of custody, and verifiable GHG savings are the foundation of any credible bio offering.

The company added that the renewal comes at the right time.

“Our biofuel volumes have been growing steadily, and we’re committed to keeping pace with where the market is genuinely heading — not where it’s announced to be heading,” it added.

 

Photo credit: Norwegian Energy Trading
Published: 15 June, 2026

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