Itochu Corporation, through its wholly-owned Singapore special purpose company Clean Ammonia Bunkering Shipping (CABS), has signed a contract with Japan’s Sasaki Shipbuilding to build a 5,000 cubic meter ammonia bunkering vessel, which is expected to be delivered in September 2027. Japan’s Izumi Steel Works is responsible for building the supporting onboard ammonia fuel storage tank system.
The new shipbuilding plan has been included in the “Global South Future-Oriented Co-Creation Program” (large-scale demonstration in ASEAN member countries) by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to promote the Singapore ammonia refueling demonstration project.
The vessel is known as the “world’s first” ammonia fuel bunkering vessel and flies the Singapore flag. It will subsequently engage in specific discussions with maritime stakeholders such as the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and fuel suppliers, and will receive support from the Japanese government.
As part of the project, ITOCHU Corporation plans to establish an offshore ammonia fuel bunkering business through ship-to-ship transfer after the vessel is developed and constructed.
The project aims to promote the commercialization of ammonia fuel bunkering in Singapore and expand similar business models to major global shipping hubs, including Spain (Strait of Gibraltar), Egypt (Suez Canal) and Japan.