Ammonia-fuelled bulk carrier design approved

Singapore-based shipping company SDTR Marine and Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI) received approval in principle (AiP) for their joint concept design of a 85,000 dwt ammonia-fuelled bulk carrier.

PHOTO: Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) showed a generic model of an ammonia-fuelled bulk carrier in November 2022. K Line

The prototype is said to be the first of its kind for the “Kamsarmax” vessel class, according to the China Class Society.

SDARI vice president Zhou Zhiyong said the vessel design featured “latest hydrodynamic and new energy technologies”. No orders for vessels with this design have been announced.

The maritime sector is increasingly developing concepts for larger vessels to run on ammonia, indicating growing confidence in the fuel.

Earlier this year, Japanese classification society ClassNK granted an AiP for the designof a 210,000 dwt ammonia-powered bulk carrier. The bulker was jointly developed by Japanese shipping major Mitsui O.S.K Lines (MOL), trading firm Mitsui and designed by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding.

A 110,000 dwt ammonia-powered oil tanker design is being developed by a Norwegian consortium including Equinor, DNV, Yara and ship designer Breeze Ship Design (BSD). According to BSD, this design will be based on an existing 110,000 dwt "Aframax" vessel.

While shipowners are putting forth ideas for larger vessels that will run on ammonia, engine manufacturers are developing engines to power these vessels.

A spokesperson for Finland-based Wärtsilä Marine Power (WMP) has informed ENGINE that “first field trials with ammonia are planned on a large container vessel for the first quarter of 2025.”

MAN Energy Solutions’ technical promotion manager, Rasmus Holm Bidstrup, told ENGINE that larger ammonia engines will be announced once “the first commercial ammonia engine design has been tested and verified in 2024.”

By Konica Bhatt

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