A high-profile industry consortium (including Equinor, Shell and ABS) will validate NOV’s subsea fuel storage system. NOV argues subsea storage will be a crucial element for effective distribution of ammonia as an alternative maritime fuel. Validation testing is expected to be completed by the end of next year, with the first projects deployed late 2024 to 2025.
Singapore-based Ocean Network Express has signed contracts with two ship-builders for construction of five ammonia-ready VLCCs each (ten total), to be delivered in 2025. In Japan, NYK Line, IHI Power Systems and ClassNK will develop, deliver and fuel an ammonia-powered tugboat for the City of Yokohama, with the vessel to be delivered and working in the port in 2024.
Swedish technology developer Metacon has delivered an ammonia cracking prototype unit to Pherousa Green Technologies in Norway for development of an ammonia-fed, zero emissions maritime propulsion system. The prototype itself was developed by Metacon subsidiary Helbio, who report the cracker achieves conversion rates of 99.3% with no ammonia slip, enabling it to feed a high-purity PEM fuel cell.
Total has signed a new MoU with the General Authority for Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) to develop a renewable ammonia project in Ain Sokhna, Egypt. The first phase targets production of 300,000 tonnes of renewable ammonia per year. SCZONE is now involved with six renewable hydrogen-based projects near the Suez Canal totaling more than $10 billion in investment, and featuring about 1.5 million tonnes of renewable ammonia production in the first phase (expanding to at least 6 million tonnes per year).
Yara Clean Ammonia, together with NCE Maritime CleanTech and with analysis support from DNV, have delivered a volume analysis and roadmap for the use of renewable ammonia in the Norwegian domestic shipping sector. With the right policy levers in place, renewable ammonia can meet and reach beyond the 2030 decarbonisation targets for the Norwegian domestic fleet, reducing emissions by as much as 69%.
EverWind Fuels will develop a regional hydrogen hub in Point Tupper, Nova Scotia (Atlantic coast of Canada) after acquiring existing storage terminal facilities at the deepwater port. The existing infrastructure will be expanded to include renewable hydrogen and ammonia production, with huge potential for onshore and offshore wind power.
On the Pacific coast, Trigon has announced a new focus on zero-carbon energy exports, particularly ammonia. Trigon’s Prince Rupert, British Columbia export terminal has traditionally been a major coal port, but existing infrastructure will be leveraged as Trigon shifts focus from fossil commodities to low and zero-carbon exports.
A series of new announcements illustrates the growing importance of Egypt, the Suez Gulf and the area designated the Suez Canal Economic Zone to the ammonia energy transition:
Two sets of academic analyses highlight the huge potential for renewable energy and ammonia fuel to wean island states off fossil fuel use. Researchers from the University of Twente propose a highly-integrated energy generation and storage system for the Caribbean nation of Curaçao, with battery storage and ammonia fuel to offset periods of low wind-power output. On the Canary Islands, researchers from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria present their concept for a “hexa-generation” energy system to produce electricity, water, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and - ultimately - ammonia.
In three green maritime corridor announcements this week:
Samsung Heavy Industries and Danish organisation Seaborg have signed a new agreement to develop floating nuclear power plants. The partners have identified P2X projects producing hydrogen and ammonia fuel as key applications for the 800 MW vessels. This follows a report released in January, where UK-based CORE POWER suggests floating nuclear power to produce offshore ammonia can create a network of strategically-located refueling points to service a wide range of maritime transport, with particularly promising applications in the US.