Initial design of Nordic ammonia-fuelled vessel revealed

The ammonia-fuelled vessel is being developed in collaboration with various industry stakeholders under the Nordic Green Ammonia-Powered Ships (NoGAPS) project.

PHOTO: A model of a 20,000 cbm capacity ammonia-powered gas carrier - M/V NoGAPS. MMMCZCS

NoGAPS is co-funded by the Nordic Innovation fund and the initial feasibility study phase of the project ran between 2020-2021. The project is now in the second phase (2022-2025), which focuses on developing an initial concept design of an ammonia-powered ship.

After reviewing outcomes from the feasibility study, the initial design of the 22,000 cbm capacity ammonia-powered gas carrier M/S NoGAPS has been developed, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS) said.

This initial design will lay the foundation for a “shipyard tender and the potential construction of the ship,” MMMCZCS added. It aims to operate the vessel in the North Atlantic and northwestern waters by 2025.

MMMCZCS is leading the design development work of M/S NoGAPS. Other key partners in the NoGAPS project include ammonia producer Yara, engine manufacturers MAN ES and Wärtsilä, ship design firm Breeze.

In the initial phase, MMMCZCS evaluated a two-stroke ammonia-ship engine, stating that the engine configuration has lower fuel consumption and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. It also evaluated a four-stroke diesel engine configured with two main ammonia-fuelled generator sets (3,360 kilowatts each) for the vessel.

According to MMMCZCS, a two-stroke ammonia engine is a much safer option for the vessel, partly because the engine will be the only onboard ammonia consumer. Meanwhile, the diesel-engine configuration will have two separate ammonia-fuelled generator sets, which could increase safety risks.

But development of ammonia engine, fuel systems and related technologies are still in early stages, MMMCZCS highlights. It expects to incorporate future technological advancements in the final ship design.

German engine manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions (MAN ES) aims to deliver its first dual-fuel two-stroke ammonia engine to a shipyard by the fourth quarter next year.  

By Nithin Chandran

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