New ammonia-powered vessel designs win AiP

By Julian Atchison on February 28, 2023

Three new ammonia-powered, bulk carrier designs have recently been awarded Approval in Principle (AiP).

Kamsarmax: China & Singapore

The SDTR Gloria, one of nineteen Kamsarmax-sized vessels in SDTR Marine’s fleet. SDTR and SDARI have been awarded AiP for their new dual-fuel, ammonia-powered Kamsarmax design. Source: SDTR Marine.
Click to learn more. The SDTR Gloria, one of nineteen Kamsarmax-sized vessels in SDTR Marine’s fleet. SDTR and SDARI have been awarded AiP for their new dual-fuel, ammonia-powered Kamsarmax design. Source: SDTR Marine.

China Classification Society has awarded AiP to a new vessel design by dry bulk specialists SDTR Marine & Shanghai’s Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI). The 85,000 DWT bulk carrier will be dual-fueled, but meets CCS’s guidelines for the use of ammonia as a fuel (released in 2022). SDTR Marines’s fleet of nineteen vessels are all a similar size to the new design, and the Singapore-based organisation aims for its fleet to be net-zero emissions by 2050.

Another Kamsarmax: Japan

Sumitomo Corporation and Oshima Shipping began development of an 81,000 DWT, ammonia-powered vessel in December 2021, and this January were awarded AiP by DNV for their new design. Sumitomo is also pursuing an ammonia bunker fuel supply chain in Singapore as part of the Project Sabre consortium.

Capemax: Japan

Mitsui & Co. and Mitsui OSK Line’s ammonia-powered, Capemax-sized vessel design, featuring on-deck fuel tanks and hard sails. Source: MOL Group.
Click to learn more. Mitsui & Co. and Mitsui OSK Line’s ammonia-powered, Capemax-sized vessel design, featuring on-deck fuel tanks and hard sails. Source: MOL Group.

MOL and Mitsui & Co. have been awarded AiP by ClassNK for a 210,000 DWT, Capemax-sized vessel design. The main engine will be ammonia-powered, with two on-deck fuel tanks. The graphic visualisation of the vessel includes another energy saving feature – “hard sails”. Mitsui OSK Lines converted and deployed its first hard sail-equipped vessel in October last year (the Panamax bulk carrier Shofu Maru), with a second vessel in the works.