Singapore's Jurong Port has joined the Castor Initiative, a coalition of high-profile shipping industry players who intend to commercialise the development of the world's first ammonia-fuelled tanker by 2024.

The port operator joins MISC Berhad, Lloyd’s Register (LR), Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), MAN Energy Solutions, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Yara International in a move that the coalition says will now give it an even wider and diverse circle of maritime expertise.

Jurong Port’s participation will enable the testing the port infrastructure and processes required to handle future marine fuels, including ammonia, according to MPA Chief Executive Quah Ley Hoon.

Jurong Port chief executive officer Ooi Boon Hoe said the company he leads is "delighted to be part of the Castor Initiative, which is determined to take concrete steps to meet IMO 2050 targets through the development and deployment of ammonia-fuelled ships".

"As actions by the shipping industry in meeting the decarbonisation goals are gaining momentum, we recognise that there could be multiple pathways for future marine fuels," Ooi said.

"Being the operator of the busiest bunkering terminal in the world’s largest bunkering port today, Jurong Port is keen to facilitate the adoption of such future marine fuels, including ammonia, by providing suitable supporting bunkering infrastructure."

Industry collaboration

The Castor Initiative has stressed that building the pioneer ammonia-fuelled tanker requires a collaborative approach by key stakeholders across the chain to complete the ecosystem required for the vessel to operate sustainably on water.

Very different from a shipowner going to a yard to place an order, the project requires input from regulatory authorities, engine manufacturers, shipbuilders, shipowners, cargo owners, ports, ammonia producers and bunker suppliers.

Datuk Yee Yang Chien, President and Group CEO of MISC Berhad Photo: MISC Berhad

Datuk Yee Yang Chien, President and Group CEO of MISC, which will operate the tanker once it is put in service, described Jurong port as another strategic enabler.

"It is without a doubt that Jurong Port’s diverse expertise and rich legacy of commercial success will be key to the sustainable operations of deep sea zero carbon emission vessels for the industry," Yee said.

"We look forward to establishing further concrete industry milestones with all our partners as collaboration is a must and we hope that the Castor Initiative will inspire others to join forces to work together seamlessly to accomplish the industry’s GHG aspirations ahead of 2050."

Positive progression

TradeWinds was told that the development of the first demonstrator vessel was "progressing very positively".

A key project milestone in September when LR gave Approval in Principle (AiP) to SHI for its ammonia fuel supply and fuel storage system. SHI had earlier received an AiP in September 2020 for its ammonia-fuelled tanker design.

The Castor Initiative was launched in January 2020 to work collaboratively on an ammonia-fuelled tanker to support shipping’s drive towards a decarbonised future.

The initiative was motivated by the partners’ shared belief that the maritime industry needs leadership and greater collaboration if shipping is to meet the IMO’s greenhouse gas ambitions.

The partners said they also recognise that the shipping industry will need to explore multiple decarbonisation pathways and hope their collaboration will spur others industry stakeholders to join forces on addressing this global challenge.