AsiaBunkeringContainersEnvironmentShipyards

DSME debuts 23,000 teu ammonia-powered ship design

South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) has received approval in principle from UK class society Lloyd’s Register for its 23,000 teu ammonia-fuelled containership design, with the yard planning to start selling the groundbreaking new vessel by 2025.

DSME has been working on the project with engine maker MAN Energy Solutions.

An early contender to order the new ship type could be Maersk, the world’s largest containerline. Last year, Maersk identified three fuels to focus on its decarbonisation strategy, namely alcohol, biogas and ammonia.

Other Korean yards are also developing their own ammonia-powered vessels, with Lloyd’s Register approving designs for an MR tanker at Hyundai Mipo and an aframax tanker at Samsung Heavy Industries, the latter of which has been created in association with MISC, Malaysia’s largest shipowner.

In December last year Lloyd’s Register granted approval in principle to Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co (DSIC) in China for another ammonia-fuelled 23,000 teu concept design.

Sam Chambers

Starting out with the Informa Group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine as well as East Asia Editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued a freelance career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia Editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times and The International Herald Tribune.
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