Eastern Pacific Shipping: adding ammonia power to the fleet
By on June 17, 2022
Dual-fuel gas carrier
Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS), the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) have signed a new MoU to jointly develop a dual-fuel gas tanker that can be powered by ammonia fuel. The size of the vessel is yet to be determined (will be either midsize, large or very large), but the partners expect delivery as early as 2025. Each partner will play a significant role in the process:
EPS…intends to order an ammonia dual-fuel gas carrier which will be built at HHI, to be registered under the Singapore flag, classed by ABS, and will be the first vessel fitted with MAN Energy Solutions G60 two-stroke dual-fuel ammonia engine.
Roles in the development consortium, from EPS’ official press release, 6 June 2022
MAN’s much-anticipated development of two-stroke, ammonia-powered maritime engines now has a major deployment goal. The registration of the new vessel under the Singapore flag is also significant, and comes a few months after an ammonia-ready vessel was launched in China under the Greek flag (the Kriti Future).
The use of ammonia as a marine fuel is the next logical step for EPS and the industry.
EPS CEO Cyril Ducau in his organisation’s official press release, 6 June 2022
EPS’ decision to register their new ammonia fuelled gas carriers under the Singapore flag signifies an important milestone in our journey towards green shipping. We look forward to working closely with EPS and partners to move decisively on maritime decarbonisation.
MPA Chief Executive Quah Ley Hoon in EPS’ official press release, 6 June 2022
The announcement comes hot on the heels of a similar initiative from Ocean Network Express, who will add ammonia-powered VLCCs to their fleet from 2025.
Evolving engagement with ammonia
To date, EPS has been steadily scaling up its engagement with maritime ammonia. In March 2021, OCI announced they would charter ammonia-powered vessels from EPS, with EPS to work with MAN to retrofit some of their existing fleet to run on ammonia fuel, as well as building new vessels. Ammonia and methanol fuel will be supplied by OCI.
In June 2021 Singapore entered the frame. EPS announced a new partnership with Nanyang Technological University to conduct an ammonia bunkering study, joining a number of other key initiatives in progress.
Bunkering study accelerates
Another high-profile consortium – Maersk, Fleet Management Limited, Keppel Offshore & Marine, the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, Sumitomo Corporation and ABS – recently added key partners to their ammonia supply chain feasibility study in Singapore. K Line and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore will provide key expertise to the bunkering element of the study, with the consortium aiming to commence ammonia bunkering in Singapore by 2030.