Maritime classification society the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has classed a Suezmax tanker as ammonia-ready, the first ship to receive this categorisation.
The tanker, ordered by Greek shipowner Avin International, is the first of three potential ammonia-powered vessels under construction at New Times Shipbuilding in China. There is no confirmed first-sail date. It will initially run on conventional marine fuels, but is designed to be converted to use LNG and eventually ammonia.
Shipowners are having to adjust to an International Maritime Organization (IMO) plan for a 70pc reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 compared with 2008 levels. Ammonia is a promising carbon-neutral, long-term option for shipping's decarbonisation goals, but is several years off being used by ships. LNG, which is used now, is seen by many as a transition stage because it is a fossil fuel, albeit with CO2 emissions around 10-20pc less than current marine fuels.
Several shipping industry participants are currently looking into ammonia as a future fuel. Ammonia is mostly used in the fertiliser industry and is derived from fossil fuels, but 'green' ammonia would come from carbon-neutral sources such as wind and solar power and could be competitive in pricing to current bunker fuels.
Finnish scrubber maker Wartsila will test ammonia as bunker fuel at scale in Norway this year, and Japanese shipping groups have agreed to develop ammonia-powered vessels and supply chains.
The ABS has previously said it expects use of hydrogen and ammonia as a share of the marine fuel demand pool to widen significantly between 2030 and 2050.
