Eidesvik Offshore and Wärtsilä to go ahead with conversion of PSV to ammonia fueling

Eidesvik's Viking Energy has long served a test bed for advanced Wärtsilä technology.

Norway’s Eidesvik Offshore has awarded Wärtsilä a contract to supply the equipment for the world’s first conversion of a platform supply vessel (PSV) to ammonia fueling. The two companies first announced their plans for such a retrofit back in October 2021 — and the vessel to be converted is the Viking Energy, long a test bed for advanced Wärtsilä technology.

It is on contract to Equinor, which in July has declared options to extend the contract for the vessel, which supplies its installations on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, until April 2030.

“We have an ambition to halve the maritime emissions associated with our Norwegian operations by 2030. With this contract, we will, in collaboration with Eidesvik Offshore, employ a new low-emission technology. We strongly believe in the use of ammonia as a fuel on our supply vessels,” says Ørjan Kvelvane, Equinor’s senior vice president for joint operations support.

By converting the vessel to ammonia fueling, Eidesvik Offshore and Wärtsilä will cut emissions from Viking Energy by at least 70%, says Equinor, which has a 21-year history of collaboration with Eidesvik Offshore on environmental technology on Viking Energy.

At the time of delivery in 2003, the Eidesvik vessel was the world’s first LNG-fueled supply vessel. The vessel was also the first in the world to receive DNV’s “Battery Power” notation, with a battery system installed by Wärtsilä. .

In addition to using the vessel in operations, Equinor says that it will “contribute significantly” to funding the conversion to ammonia operation. The project is receiving five million euros in support through the EU Horizon Europe program. The necessary conversion and installation of the new engine together with the complete fuel gas supply system and exhaust after-treatment from Wärtsilä will take place in 2026.
Other partners in the project are Breeze Ship Design and Maritime Clean Tech, which calls the conversion “a game changer for sustainable shipping.“

COMPLETE AMMONIA SOLUTION

In addition to the Wärtsilä 25 Ammonia engine, Wärtsilä will supply the complete ammonia solution, including its AmmoniaPac Fuel Gas Supply System, the Wärtsilä Ammonia Release Mitigation System (WARMS), and a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system designed for ammonia. A service agreement, covering maintenance, is another important part of the deal. The conversion project is planned for early 2026, with final commissioning expected first quarter 2026.

“In just 25 years – the lifetime of a single vessel – shipping needs to get to net zero emissions. Achieving this will require coordinated action by all maritime industry stakeholders to bring about the system change needed to accept a new generation of sustainable fuels,” says Håkan Agnevall, president and CEO of Wärtsilä. “With this new contract, together with Eidesvik, Wärtsilä is proud to be at the forefront of this movement. Decarbonization is front and centre of our strategy and we are committed to developing and delivering sustainable solutions which not only ensure the viability of sustainable fuels, but also their safety.”

“Close collaboration throughout the value chain is key to succeed in the green transition. Eidesvik has a unique history of pioneering the implementation of innovative emission-reducing technologies, and we are proud to spearhead yet another groundbreaking project together with Wärtsilä and Equinor,” said Gitte Gard Talmo, CEO and president of Eidesvik Offshore.