French energy major TotalEnergies has become the eighth member of the Castor Initiative, a multinational coalition of shipping industry players committed to the development and construction of ammonia-powered tankers.
The coalition, founded in 2020 by Malaysia’s top shipping line MISC, South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries, and class society Lloyd’s Register, also includes German engine manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions (MAN), the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), green ammonia producer Yara Clean Ammonia (Yara) and Jurong Port.
The addition of TotalEnergies as a charterer is expected to strengthen a diverse circle of maritime expertise “to ensure and support the complete ecosystem required for ammonia-fuelled tankers to operate sustainably and safely”.
“The consortium will be able to leverage on TotalEnergies’ technical capabilities and operational experience,” said Terence Seow, chief executive of Jurong Port, which aims to develop a sustainable ammonia bunkering supply chain in Singapore.
Jérôme Cousin, senior vice president of shipping at TotalEnergies, commented: “Among various decarbonised marine fuel alternatives, ammonia could rapidly become a viable solution in the maritime sector while challenges remain to be addressed, in particular on the safety aspects. We are therefore enthusiastic to join the Castor initiative, one of the most comprehensive and ambitious project dealing with ammonia as a fuel today.”
In April, the consortium partners signed a memorandum of understanding to build two very large crude carriers (VLCCs) that can be operated on green ammonia, with plans to have the first of these dual-fuel tankers enter service in late 2025 and the second in early 2026.
