NYK, JERA complete world’s first truck-to-ship bunkering of ammonia-fuelled tugboat

Japanese shipping firm NYK on Wednesday (17 July) said it supplied ammonia to an NYK-owned ammonia-fuelled tugboat, also known as A-Tug, which is scheduled to become the world’s first commercial ammonia-fuelled vessel upon completion at the end of August. 

The bunkering was completed at the port of Yokohama using the truck-to-ship method, the first time an A-Tug has ever been fuelled using this method.

The bunkering operation t was conducted at the Honmoku Wharf of the port of Yokohama under a fuel supply agreement that NYK concluded with Japan’s power generation firm JERA Co., Inc. (JERA) in late May of this year, with the cooperation of the city of Yokohama’s Port and Harbor Bureau. 

The ammonia used was produced by Resonac Corporation (Resonac) at the company’s Kawasaki plant partially using recycled plastics as one of the fuel’s raw materials. It will be used for the sea trials of the A-Tug, which is undergoing modification at the NYK Group’s Keihin Dock Co. Ltd. 

After the vessel’s delivery, the charterer, Shin Nippon Kaiyosha, will be supplied with the ammonia by JERA.

Prior to the operation, NYK said it held numerous discussions with JERA, Resonac, and other related parties to establish safe operational methods related to bunkering and a safe transportation and acceptance system to the port area. 

NYK said it will contribute to reducing environmental impact by promoting the use of next-generation fuels as a pioneer in the use of ammonia in the shipping industry.

Related: JERA to conduct world’s first truck-to-ship ammonia bunkering operation
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Related: NYK among Japanese firms to conduct joint study on ammonia bunkering

Photo credit: NYK
Published: 18 July 2024