Maritime ammonia: fuel cell propulsion systems, car carriers & bunkering in Germany

By Julian Atchison on January 31, 2023

AiP for SOFC

Graphic visualisation of Alma Clean Power’s containerised, SOFC maritime fuel cell propulsion system, which has just been granted AiP by DNV Source: Alma.
Click to learn more. Graphic visualisation of Alma Clean Power’s containerised, SOFC maritime fuel cell propulsion system, which has just been granted AiP by DNV Source: Alma.

Alma Clean Power’s containerised solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system design has been granted Approval in Principle by DNV for use in the maritime industry. Two modules of this SOFC technology (2 MW total) will be retrofitted on-deck on the offshore supply vessel Viking Energy, as part of the ShipFC project (which is scheduled to hit the water later this year).

The SOFC system will be integrated with existing dual fuel gensets and a battery pack, allowing the vessel to sail solely on emission-free, green ammonia for all dynamic positioning operations. The ammonia fuel cell system for ShipFC will be fully tested at the Energy House at Stord in Norway before installation onboard Viking Energy. This will be the first time an ammonia-powered fuel cell system is installed on commercially operative vessel.

ShipFC project details, from Alma’s official press release, 26 Jan 2023

Grimaldi Group

The Grande Houston, one of Grimaldi Group’s current car carrier vessels on which the new, ammonia-ready design is based. Source: Grimaldi Group.
Click to learn more. The Grande Houston, one of Grimaldi Group’s current car carrier vessels on which the new, ammonia-ready design is based. Source: Grimaldi Group.

In October last year, Grimaldi Group placed on order with China Merchants Heavy Industries for delivery of up to ten ammonia-ready car carriers. Grimaldi Group has now exercised the option for ten vessels, and placed an additional order for up to seven vessels (five confirmed). The 200m long, 9,000 car equivalent units vessel design was granted ammonia-ready class notation by RINA, and also features battery storage, solar panels and “cold ironing” capability to further reduce its carbon footprint. The ten vessels from the original order will be built at Jiangsu shipyards, and delivered between 2025 and 2027.

We’ve also reaffirmed our commitment to our customers, especially the world’s leading car manufacturers who continue to reward us with their trust. In this way, we’ll continue to live up to their high expectations and meet their evolving needs, with our offer of increasingly efficient and environmentally sustainable shipping services. Ten out of fifteen of our newly ordered car carriers will be deployed on the Far East trade and support the increasing development of China’s automotive industry.

Grimaldi Group MD Emanuele Grimaldi in his organisation’s official press release, 23 Jan 2023 (via Public)

Mabanaft, Hapag-Lloyd

Mabanaft and Hapag-Lloyd will explore the supply of ammonia bunker fuel to Hapag’s container vessel fleet via the Port of Hamburg, and the Port of Houston.
Click to learn more. Mabanaft and Hapag-Lloyd will explore the supply of ammonia bunker fuel to Hapag’s container vessel fleet via the Port of Hamburg, and the Port of Houston.

The pair will explore the supply of ammonia bunker fuel to Hapag-Lloyd’s vessels at the Port of Hamburg (Germany), and the Port of Houston (USA). Beginning with Hamburg, the feasibility for safe handling of ammonia bunker fuel in-and-around the port, and the commercial, technical & regulatory requirements will be assessed. Hapag-Lloyd’s 252-strong container vessel fleet is one of the world’s largest, and the organisation has committed to making its fleet “climate neutral” by 2045. Together with Air Products, Mabanaft are already developing a large-scale ammonia import terminal in Hamburg, and expect to begin receiving shipments from 2026.

When produced with renewable energy, ammonia is a promising sustainable fuel that may become an integral part of the energy mix of future maritime shipping. We look forward to this partnership with Mabanaft and to jointly making progress on the industry’s path towards climate neutrality.

Hapag-Lloyd Senior Director Global Fuel Purchasing Jan Christensen in Mabanaft’s official press release, 25 Jan 2023

Future-proof LNG bunkering in Germany

And (announced in December) the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action will fund the construction of three, future-proof LNG bunker vessels. The 4,500 m³ vessels will be first used for LNG bunkering, but are designed to be upgraded to handle ammonia fuel.

The maritime sector’s energy transition and its associated switch to alternative fuels are a huge task. It requires investments in the expansion of bunker infrastructure which will enable the refuelling of maritime vessels with LNG and renewable fuels. I am delighted that, thanks to the efforts of all those involved in the project, we have succeeded in realising the funding of three new innovative bunker vessels this year. In addition to LNG, refuelling with ammonia will also be possible in the future. This shows that we are consistently moving towards climate neutrality. The plans to construct the vessels in Flensburg is an important contribution to strengthening Germany’s position in the shipbuilding industry.

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck in BMWK’s official press release, 23 Dec 2022