Designs for NYK’s Ammonia Bunker Vessel Advances
As the industry prepares for the commercial introduction of the first ammonia-fueled marine engines, efforts are continuing to develop the infrastructure that will be needed to support ammonia at scale as a fuel for the maritime industry. Japan’s NYK Group (Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha) working in partnership with Seatrium and its design company LMG Marine, is reporting a groundbreaking step in advancing the sector.
The group’s design for an ammonia-fueled ammonia bunkering vessel has passed the next key milestone in its development. ClassNK reviewed the design engineering developed by LMG and issued the next Approval-in-Principle for the project. The partners report the design will now be submitted to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore for evaluation. Singapore hosted the first ammonia bunkering operations and certification program in early 2024 for the converted offshore support vessel developed by Fortescue.
The AiP certification validated the ammonia-fueled ammonia bunkering vessel design’s compliance with stringent safety, technical, and environmental standards. LMG Marin provided design capabilities, leading to a Hazard Identification Study (HAZID) for design validation. The comprehensive HAZID conducted was instrumental in ensuring optimal safety, performance, and operational reliability.
The partners report the vessel design incorporates the consortium's two key features to ensure safety and operational reliability. It uses ammonia fuel dual-fuel engines from IHI Power Systems and a bunkering boom by TB Global Technologies. The bunkering boom features a unique technology called the High Speed Ammonia Purging Emergency Release System (ERS), which enables a reliable and efficient disconnection between vessels in an emergency.
NYK is already at the forefront of ammonia-fueled shipping. In 2024, it completed the conversion of its pioneering LNG-fueled tugboat Sakigake into an ammonia-powered vessel. It completed one of the first ammonia bunkering operation which used truck-based delivery and the vessel is now demonstrating operations in Tokyo Bay.
The effort to develop an ammonia bunker vessel began several years ago. In September 2022, the project received its first AiP certification based on a 3D model.
NYK said the design for the bunker vessel is an essential contribution to developing the infrastructure needed for ammonia bunkering. The designs will be reviewed by the authorities in Singapore, which already is one of the world’s largest bunker ports, and seeks to be a hub for innovation.