Japanese duo’s STS ammonia bunkering boom gets ClassNK nod

A bunkering boom jointly built by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and TB Global Technologies (TBG) for ship-to-ship (STS) supply of ammonia has received an approval in principle from Japanese classification society ClassNK.

PHOTO: NYK and TBG’s ammonia bunkering boom concept. NYK

A bunkering boom is a device on a ship used to transfer fuel oil from one vessel to another, typically extending outward to facilitate safe and efficient fuel transfer.

The new device features an emergency-release system enabling instant disconnection between an ammonia-fuelled vessel and an ammonia bunkering vessel (ABV) in case of an emergency.

In this project, NYK shared knowledge from its ammonia transport business and expertise gained from Kaguya, Japan's first LNG bunkering vessel, to enhance safety and operability of the device.

NYK and TBG believe the bunkering boom will greatly improve the safety of ammonia supply to ships, preventing leaks of the highly toxic fuel.

The bunkering boom is being developed for installation on ammonia-fuelled vessels, which are expected to become popular in the global market in the late 2020s, NYK says.

By Tuhin Roy

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