A Norwegian start-up has designed and hopes to order six zero-emission ultramax bulkers fitted with onboard ammonia crackers, which will allow the ships to run on hydrogen fuel.
The design concept combines an existing ultramax design by Finland’s Deltamarin with onboard ammonia cracker technology developed by Oslo-based Pherousa Green Technologies (PGT).
The company was founded in 2020 by hydrogen expert Vasilis Besikiotis, who is CEO, and shipping executive Tonny Thorsen, who has worked in commercial roles at dry-cargo firms like Torvald Klaveness and Western Bulk during his 35-year career. Both are major shareholders in PGT.
The project is being put together by affiliate company Pherousa Green Shipping (PGS), which hopes to secure backing for the potential orders from major mining companies, especially those involved in the copper trade.
PGT’s group chairman is Hans Bredrup, who is better known for being Affinity (Shipping)’s head of dry cargo for the Americas. The start-up is not related to the shipbroking group.
“The only fuel that is truly zero emission is hydrogen, but hydrogen storage is the biggest challenge for deep-sea shipping. Ammonia is the only readily available hydrogen carrier that has no carbon in its molecule, therefore the only truly zero-carbon hydrogen carrier,” Bredrup said in a release.
“The ammonia cracking technology developed by PGT is a game changer that could become a major contributor toward the realisation of the world’s zero-emission shipping.”
The onboard cracker allows a vessel’s engines to be operated with a minimal amount of ammonia pilot fuel, which PGT claims will provide a “truly zero-emission vessel” fuelled by enriched ammonia and hydrogen.
If the vessels are ordered as is hoped, PGT will deliver “plug and play” ammonia crackers to PGS for installation onboard the newbuildings.
The system also enables the use of pure hydrogen in polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells for electricity, instead of direct ammonia fuel cells.
PGT said it is in “ongoing and advanced conversations” with international mining companies to secure employment for the potential newbuildings.
‘Important partners‘
It is particularly targeting the copper industry, which has set ambitious goals for reducing its emissions from shipping. Copper is typically carried on long-haul voyages from major exporters in South America and Australia to end users in Asia.
PGT said it is also in discussions with prospective fuel suppliers, yards and financiers for the project.
Helbio Holdings, part of Stockholm-listed Metacon, and Oslo-listed HAV Group each possess a 10% stake in PGT.
Metacon is a supplier of technology that converts biogas into hydrogen, electricity and heating. Hav Group provides technology and services to the maritime and marine industries.
Both companies are “important partners for further development, implementation and commercialization of the Pherousa technology,” PGT said in its release.
