Grimaldi Group bets on ammonia-ready vessels
Neapolitan shipping firm Grimaldi Group has ordered five ammonia-ready Pure Car & Truck Carrier (PCTC) newbuilds from China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s (CSSC) subsidiaries for $630 million.
PHOTO: Design concept of Grimaldi Group’s PCTC. Grimaldi Group
The vessels will be classed under the Italian classification society RINA’s Ammonia Ready notation, which means the vessels can use ammonia as an alternative fuel in the future following conversion. Meanwhile, ammonia-fuelled vessels are powered by ammonia, but currently, no large, ocean-going vessels can run purely on ammonia.
The order is scheduled to be delivered between 2025 and 2026 and has an option for two more vessels. The PCTCs will be built by CSSC’s subsidiaries Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Company Limited (SWS) and China Shipbuilding Trading Company Limited (CSTC).
Upon delivery, these vessels will be used by Grimaldi Group for operations between Europe, North Africa, and the Near and Far East.
Ammonia is touted as "bottled sunshine" by the US Department of Energy but it is far from becoming mainstream due to inherent drawbacks like toxicity and lack of engines that can utilise ammonia as fuel.
However, several companies, including engine makers Wärtsilä and MAN Energy Solutions (MAN ES), are working on engines that use ammonia as fuel.
By Tuhin Roy
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