Trafigura gets LR nod for ammonia dual-fuel system

Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) has approved commodity trading firm Trafigura’s ammonia dual-fuel system design for four medium gas carriers currently on order.

CONCEPT: Design of Trafigura's ammonia dual-fuel medium gas carriers. Trafigura

The approval comes after the completion of a joint development project, which explored ammonia’s viability as a safe marine fuel. LR conducted extensive design evaluations and safety assessments to approve the design, Trafigura said.

The four 45,000 cbm medium gas carriers (MGCs) are currently under construction at HD Hyundai Mipo’s shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea, with deliveries scheduled in 2028.

The MGCs will feature Swiss engine manufacturer WinGD’s ammonia dual-fuel engines and Swedish engineering firm Alfa Laval’s ammonia release mitigation system. They will be capable of transporting both liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and ammonia, Trafigura said.

“Implementing ammonia dual-fuel systems on these vessels marks a significant step towards expanding the use of low-carbon fuels beyond specialised vessels to more diverse ship types,” the Singapore-based commodity trading company said.

Once delivered, Trafigura will be among the pioneers in commercially operating MGCs with dual-fuel systems capable of running on both conventional marine fuels and ammonia.

By Aparupa Mazumder

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