BV grants AiP to DSME ammonia-fuelled very large ammonia carrier

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Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering has received approval in principle for its 86,000 cu m ammonia-fuelled ammonia carrier.

The vessel design is 230 m in length, 36.6 m wide and 22.5 m tall and will have four prismatic-type cargo tanks with a combined carrying capacity of 86,000 cu m.

Ammonia has the potential to be a zero-carbon fuel in the maritime industry. Burning ammonia releases no carbon dioxide, and so as long as the fuel is made using renewable energy, its well-to-wake carbon emissions are negligible.

Challenges remain around the use of ammonia however, not least of all that the gas is extremely toxic, leading to concerns over safety of crew and those ashore in the event of a leak or even a large-scale spill.

Despite the challenges, some 71 vessels on order were noted as ammonia-ready in a recent Clarksons Research study. LNG still remains the leader in alternative fuels for vessels on order, followed by battery/hybrid, albeit for smaller vessels.

Jae Hyuk Woo, Senior Executive Vice President and Shipyard General Manager of DSME, said: “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions has now become a global concern and a key topic regardless of industry. This project is significant in that two companies jointly completed the conceptual design of the very large ammonia carrier with an ammonia fuelled propulsion system and secured technological competitiveness for the eco-friendly vessel by reviewing the safety and compliance of the design.”

Matthieu de Tugny, President of Marine & Offshore at Bureau Veritas, said: “As the maritime industry gears up for its decarbonised future, our role as a class society is to support pioneers with our experience and technical expertise, assess risk and ensure the safety of innovative solutions. We are excited to cooperate with DSME for the development of zero-carbon shipping technologies with various viable solutions for the future.”