On May 20, Singaporean offshore shipbuilder Seatrium announced that its 25,000 m³ ammonia bunkering vessel design has received Approval-in-Principle (AiP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). The company regards this as an important milestone in its exploration of zero-carbon marine fuels.
The ammonia bunkering vessel will be built with an International Maritime Organization (IMO) Type C containment system, designed by Seatrium Marine & Deepwater Technology. It will adopt a dual-mode operating system, which can be used exclusively for hydrogen bunkering while also having the function of a transport vessel; it has a designed deadweight of 19,500 tons, a speed of 14 knots, can operate continuously for 55 days without bunkering, and is equipped with a dual-fuel generator that can use ammonia fuel and diesel fuel.
In addition, the design is designed to focus on preventing leakage from open decks through an enhanced safety architecture that complies with IMO standards, the IGC Code and ABS regulations.
Earlier this year, Seatrium’s subsidiary LMG Marin, in collaboration with Japanese shipping giant Nippon Yusen (NYK) and other consortium partners, unveiled the design of an ammonia-fueled bunkering vessel developed for local use in Singapore, which was approved by the Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK).
The ammonia-fueled bunkering vessel design approved by NK will be equipped with ammonia-fueled dual-fuel engines from IHI Power Systems and bunkering equipment from TB Global Technologies. By using ammonia fuel, greenhouse gas emissions can be significantly reduced.
TB Global Technologies’ bunkering equipment uses a unique technology called the High-Speed Ammonia Purging Emergency Release System (ERS), which is expected to reliably and efficiently disconnect vessels in emergency situations.