Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and its Japanese partners completed the ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering operation on September 17 at the Ariake shipyard in Japan. This operation involved transferring ammonia from an ammonia carrier with a capacity of 998 tons (Shoei Maru) to a new medium-sized ship powered by ammonia, which is currently under construction.
Bunkering Operation Details
The ship is scheduled to be delivered to NYK in November and will now begin sea trials using ammonia as fuel. This bunkering operation was carried out in collaboration with NYK, Japan Marine United, Nihon Shipyard, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, and Kokusai Sangyo.
Read more: Collaboration between Verlume and SubCtech to Develop Underwater Power Solutions
Challenges and Benefits of Ammonia
Ammonia is recognized as one of the main candidates for carbon-free fuels in the shipping industry, as it produces no carbon dioxide during combustion. However, its toxicity is one of the biggest barriers to its widespread adoption in this industry. The participants in this project developed specific processes and operational procedures for the safe transfer of ammonia between ships.
The developing ship is also part of a green investment program worth 2 trillion yen (13.7 billion dollars) in Japan, which supports various technologies to help Japan achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
NYK has previously gained operational experience with ammonia through the Saki-gake vessel, which is set to become the first commercial ship powered by ammonia in 2024. This ship has also been supplied with fuel through truck-to-ship bunkering.
Read more: Cavotec and EVIAS Sign Exclusive Agreement for Electric Vehicle Charging Technology · Philippine Coast Guard Issues Rescue Request for the Burning Ship June Aster
