Another key part of the ammonia maritime fuel supply jigsaw has been pieced together with news today from South Korea where classification society Korean Register (KR) has granted approval in principle for an ammonia bunkering vessel. The design was completed as a joint development project between KR, local design firm KMS EMEC and Singapore shipping major Navig8. The bunker vessel is dual fuelled, using MGO and ammonia.
“Ammonia, a zero-carbon fuel, is attracting worldwide attention as an eco-friendly fuel for next-generation ships. The adoption of ammonia as fuel is not technically difficult and as a result it has high potential for commercialization,” KR stated in a release today.
The bunker vessel design works off MAN Energy Solution’s engine specifications.
Ammonia fuelling developments are coming in thick and fast for shipping this year with the likes of Eastern Pacific, Maersk, Exmar and Hartmann all publicly stating their preference for the fuel while in January Greece’s Avin International ordered the first ammonia fuel ready vessel in the world.
South Korea’s neighbour, Japan, is also accelerating its own ammonia fuel plans. Japanese trading house Itochu, chemicals firm Ube Industries, and shipping firm Uyeno Transtech have recently agreed to set up a joint venture for supplying ammonia as a marine fuel and the development of a domestic supply chain.
