Norwegian government enterprise Enova has decided to provide NOK 152 million (about $14.1 million) to Viridis Bulk Carriers for the construction of two ammonia-powered bulk carriers.
The ammonia-powered bulk carrier, which was designed by Kongsberg Maritime and has a similar voyage range to the current fleet of short-haul bulk carriers, has received Approval-in-Principle (AiP) from Bureau Veritas (BV) in March this year. This is a significant milestone in Viridis Bulk Carriers’ ordering of its first ammonia-powered bulk carriers, which are expected to be placed by the end of 2023, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2025.
André Risholm, co-founder and board member of Viridis Bulk Carriers, said, “Enova’s funding has enabled the construction of these highly innovative vessels, which we hope will be the first in the shipping industry to kick-start the ammonia-powered green shipping transition.”
Viridis said, “Fuel refueling infrastructure is a key challenge that the company’s partners are committed to addressing.Viridis works with companies such as Yara Clean Ammonia, Azane Fuel Solutions and others to ensure that ammonia fuel will be available when the vessels begin operations.”
