A group of leading Japanese shipbuilders and the country's classification society have completed a design for an ammonia-fuelled panamax bulk carrier.
The design has been granted approval in principle from classification society ClassNK based on its safety guidelines for ammonia-fuelled vessels.
The project has come together under the Tokyo-based Panning and Design Centre for Greener Ships.
The organisation has brought together 11 leading shipbuilders, and ClassNK, to combine their knowledge to develop the green low emission ships of the future.
The yard group participants are Imabari Shipbuilding, Onomichi Dockyard, Oshima Shipbuilding, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Mitsui E&S Group, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Shin Kurushima Sanoyas Shipbuilding, Shin Kurushima Dockyard, Namura Shipbuilding, Japan Marine United and Naikai Shipbuilding.
The 80,400-dwt bulker design comes fitted with two 2,500-cbm ammonia fuel tanks and has a service speed of 14.2 knots.
The Planning and Design Centre for Greener Ships sees zero-carbon emission ammonia as the next generation fuel after LNG, which is the current focus on Japanese investment in low emission shipping.
The country's first ammonia ship could soon be built.
Build and trade
Trading house Sumitomo Corp recently announced its intention to build and trade an ammonia-fuelled panamax by 2025. It is working with Oshima Shipbuilding on the project.
As earlier reported by TradeWinds Japanese shipowners Mitsui OSK Lines, NYK Line and K Line are all pushing forward separate projects to put ammonia-fuelled ships into operation within this decade.
Sumitomo Corp and Itochu Corp are working on separate projects to secure future supplies of ammonia.
