Japanese R&D project aims to speed development of ammonia fueling

Liquefied ammonia carrier would use part of cargo as fuel.

With growing interest in ammonia as a carbon-free future marine fuel, NYK Line, shipbuilder Japan Marine United Corporation, and ClassNK have signed a joint R&D agreement on the commercialization of an ammonia gas carrier (AFAGC) that would use ammonia as the main fuel, along with an ammonia floating storage and regasification barge (A-FSRB).

Large-scale marine transportation of ammonia is currently carried out by multi-purpose LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) vessels. The R&D project will explore the development of a liquefied ammonia gas carrier that would use of ammonia, which is the cargo, as a marine fuel.

The project will also carry out R&D on a barge equipped with a floating storage and regasification facility that, in a world first, will be exclusively used for ammonia. The project is expected to contribute to the early introduction of ammonia as a fuel by utilizing the barge as an alternative to land facilities (storage tanks, regasification facilities, etc.) for the stable supply of ammonia fuel.

The joint project aims not only to utilize ammonia as a marine fuel but also to establish methods for the mass transportation and supply of ammonia and to become a solution for introducing a mixed combustion of ammonia into coal-fired power stations operated by Japanese electric power companies.

As a result, the R&D is expected to contribute significantly to the decarbonization of not only the marine industry but also the energy industry.