Hyundai Mipo and Trafigura Finalize Details for Ammonia Carriers
The details for some of the first large ammonia carriers that will also be fueled by ammonia have been finalized setting the groundwork for the emerging sector. The four medium-sized liquified gas carriers will be among the first to be launched in a forward-looking effort by commodities trader Trafigura.
The order for the four vessels was announced in April 2024 as Trafigura proceeds to develop the opportunities with alternative fuels. The company highlighted its testing of LNG, methanol. LPG and biofuels, highlighting that it organizes over 5,000 voyages annually with around 400 ships under management.
HD Hyundai Mipo reports that a final agreement has been reached on the dual-fuel propulsion engines for the vessels. The vessels will be capable of operating on ammonia when delivered starting in 2027. Work is expected to begin on construction in the second half of 2026, with the four ships delivered to the owner by 2028.
The yard highlights that the specifications of the vessels have also evolved as the designs were finalized. The ships will have an overall length of 623 feet (190 meters) and a beam of 98 feet (30 meters). They will be built at the company's Ulsan, South Korea yard.
The ships will have a transport capacity of 45,000 cubic meters of liquefied gas. This will include the potential to transport ammonia as well as LPG and vinyl Chloride Monomer.
Ammonia, the shipyard highlights, can be stored in pressurized tanks (approximately 8 bar) or low-temperature tanks (-33 degrees C) without cryogenic technology, and when liquefied, it has a storage density 1.7 times higher than that of liquefied hydrogen (-253 degrees C) in the same volume, making it suitable for large-scale, long-distance transportation and storage of hydrogen.
The shipyard highlights that it received the first order for ammonia carriers in 2023. Last year, it highlighted receiving an AiP (Approval in Principle) basic design certificate for the gas carrier concept from DNV and had developed an “ammonia leak prevention system” to block even the smallest amount of ammonia from leaking outside the containment system. It also received design approvals for an ammonia fuel cell-based carbon-free electric propulsion system, an ammonia-propelled petrochemical product carrier, and an ammonia-propelled container feeder ship.
Trafigura highlights its effort to develop new markets to lead the shipping industry toward decarbonization. It said it was committed to helping to develop the low-carbon fuels and vessels required to decarbonize global shipping.