Seven Japanese companies to develop ammonia bunkering network
Seven Japanese companies have agreed to develop and operate four ammonia-capable car carriers, alongside establishing an ammonia fuel supply chain in Japan’s Chubu region.
IMAGE: Ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering of an ammonia-capable gas carrier in Japan. NYK Line
The coalition comprises Japan’s Imabari Shipbuilding, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line), Kyokuyo Shipyard Corporation, JERA, Shin Kurushima Dockyard, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and Nihon Shipyard.
The project aims to establish the world’s first commercial ammonia fuel supply chain centred on Japan's Chubu region, combining green ammonia procurement, fuel supply infrastructure at the Hekinan terminal and vessel operations.
The initiative will cover the entire supply chain, from procuring green ammonia and developing ship-loading facilities to building a dedicated ammonia bunkering vessel and supplying fuel through ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering operations.
Under the agreement, JERA will oversee green ammonia procurement, including potential supplies from India, develop loading facilities at the terminal adjacent to the Hekinan Thermal Power Station, and manage fuel supply.
Kyokuyo Shipyard will design and build the dedicated commercial ammonia bunkering vessel. K Line and NYK will establish an equally owned joint venture to sell and supply ammonia fuel through STS bunkering, primarily at the Japanese ports of Nagoya and Mikawa. The vessel is scheduled for completion in 2030 and will be owned and operated by NYK or its wholly owned subsidiary.
Meanwhile, Imabari Shipbuilding, Shin Kurushima Dockyard and Nihon Shipyard will jointly undertake the design and construction of four ammonia-capable car carriers equipped with dual-fuel engines.
K Line and NYK will each introduce two of the four vessels. Scheduled for completion in 2030, the car carriers are expected to transport finished vehicles for customers, including Toyota Motor Corporation.
By Tuhin Roy
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