Seven Japanese Companies to Build Four Ammonia-Fueled Vessels and a Bunkering Network
Cubierto por 3 fuentesPublicado
- Ship BunkerSeven Japanese Firms Join Forces to Develop Ammonia Bunkering Network
- splash 247Japanese shipping giants join forces for ammonia-fuelled car carrier quartet
- NYK LINESeven Japanese Companies Jointly Announce to Build and Operate Four Ammonia-Fueled Car Carriers and Commercialize the Ammonia Bunkering Business
Seven Japanese companies announced a joint agreement to develop an ammonia fuel supply chain in Japan's Chubu region, and to build and operate four ammonia-fueled car carriers. The project brings together Imabari Shipbuilding, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line), Kyokuyo Shipyard, JERA, Shin Kurushima Dockyard, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and Nihon Shipyard.
The Vessels
NYK and K Line will each operate two of the four vessels, with delivery scheduled for 2030. Design and construction will be handled by Imabari Shipbuilding, Shin Kurushima Dockyard and Nihon Shipyard, with Shin Kurushima leading the basic design phase given its experience with car carriers. The vessels will be Japan's first ammonia-fueled ships, equipped with dual-fuel engines and sufficient tank capacity to complete transpacific voyages using ammonia alone, carrying vehicles for customers such as Toyota Motor Corporation.
Ammonia Supply
JERA will be responsible for procuring green ammonia, with possible supplies from India, and for developing loading facilities at the terminal adjacent to its Hekinan thermal power station. The company aims to establish a stable supply system for the bunkering vessel, as part of an initiative focused on the Chubu region.
Bunkering Vessel and Fuel Sales
Kyokuyo Shipyard will build the dedicated ammonia bunkering vessel, also scheduled for completion in 2030, which will then be owned and operated by NYK or a wholly owned subsidiary. NYK and K Line will also form a joint venture on an equal basis to market and supply the fuel through ship-to-ship bunkering, primarily at the ports of Nagoya and Mikawa.
Safety and Industry Milestone
Due to ammonia's toxicity and corrosiveness, the vessels will incorporate multiple layers of protection, including leak detection and neutralization systems. The companies describe the initiative as the world's first integrated commercial supply chain for ammonia as a marine fuel, following Japan's first ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering operation, carried out in September under NYK's leadership.
