Expected to become commercially available in 2025, WinGD’s X-DF-A ammonia powered engines will be fitted on Samsung Heavy Industries’ newbuild vessels. Eastern Pacific Shipping expects its ammonia powered Newcastlemaxes and VLAC fleet to be delivered from 2026 onwards, after signing a series of agreements with MAN Energy Solutions and other key partners.

Two ammonia-ready vessels - the CMA CGM Masai Mara and the ALS Ceres - were delivered this May. Both are the first in a series of six containerships contracted to be built at different Chinese shipyards.

Norwegian technology developer Pherousa announced that it has developed & validated an ammonia cracking-based propulsion system, with plans to order six Ultramax vessels fitted with the technology. Grieg Maritime has ordered up to four ammonia-ready bulk carriers from China State Shipbuilding Corporation for delivery in 2026. And a new container ship design has been unveiled by the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.

Amon Maritime has launched a new subsidiary - Amon Offshore - which will build, own and operate a fleet of ammonia-powered platform supply vessels, to operate off Norway’s coast. The new PSV design has already received AiP for ammonia notation from DNV, and preliminary flag approval from Norwegian Maritime Authorities. We also explore two more AiP for ammonia-powered vessels in China: a 16,000 TEU container ship and a 50,000 tonne, mid-range oil/chemical tanker.

Five ammonia vessel updates this week:

1. An ammonia/liquefied CO₂ carrier concept design from Mitsui O.S.K. Lines & Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

2. Approval in Principle for an ammonia-fueled car carrier designed by China State Shipbuilding.

3. Approval in Principle for the MS Green Ammonia.

4. An MoU between three members of the Castor Initiative to design & construct two Very Large Crude Carriers.

5. A concept design for up to four types of ammonia-ready, LNG-fueled vessels (ARLFV) from NYK Line.

Rio Tinto and AngloEastern have announced they will develop Newcastlemax class, ammonia-powered bulk carriers. The dry cargo vessels will be the maximum size allowed to dock in the Port of Newcastle, Australia: an important coal & iron ore port in global maritime trade. Both AngloEastern and Rio Tinto are members of an Itochu-led maritime fuel study investigating the use of ammonia. In Japan, a "greener ships" consortium has produced its first-ever ammonia-powered design: a Panamax-class bulk carrier. And the China State Shipbuilding Corporation will develop two 93,000 m3 ammonia-powered ammonia carrier vessels, with Bureau Veritas granting AiP for the vessel design.

Swiss-based engine developer WinGD has announced that its current portfolio of low-speed maritime engines will be ready to operate on methanol and ammonia by 2024 and 2025 respectively. Although WinGD's diesel-fueled X Engine series will require retrofits, the X-DF Engine series is already designed to run on biogas and will not require major modifications to run on methanol or ammonia.

Three separate projects to design a range of ammonia-fueled vessels were announced last week at a shipping industry conference in China. Lloyd's Register has granted Approval in Principle (AiP) for the design of a 180,000 ton bulk carrier. ABS announced a project to "produce designs for an ammonia-fueled Chittagongmax container carrier of 2700 TEU capacity." And Lloyd's Register also announced a project for "an ammonia-fuelled 23,000 TEU Ultra-Large Container Ship (ULCS) concept design." All three projects are working with the two-stroke ammonia engine developed by MAN Energy Solutions, and all are led by major shipbuilders in China.