Pioneering ammonia bunkering vessel project presses ahead

An approval in principle (AiP) certificate has been granted for an ammonia fuelled ammonia bunkering vessel. The project has been led by Japanese shipowner Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) along with Singaporean shipyard group Seatrium and its design subsidiary LMG Marin. The design will now be submitted to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) for evaluation.

This vessel, if brought to fruition, will be the first bunkering vessel of its kind, and comes at a time when many shipowners are looking towards ammonia as their preferred fuel of the future to meet green targets.

“By enhancing the feasibility of ammonia as a future fuel, this project positions the consortium at the forefront of the maritime energy transition,” NYK stated in a release. 

Among its many novel design features, the bunkering boom of the planned vessel features a unique technology called the High Speed Ammonia Purging Emergency Release System (ERS), which enables a reliable and efficient disconnection between vessels in an emergency.