Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), MTI, and Finnish consultancy Elomatic have jointly completed the development of a concept design for an ammonia-fuel ready LNG-fuelled vessel (ARLFV).
NYK Group companies NYK and MTI have set a long-term target of net-zero emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) by 2050 for the NYK’s oceangoing businesses. To achieve this goal, the NYK Group has been expanding its fleet of LNG-fuelled ships in response to the Group establishing the LNG-fuelled vessel as a bridge solution to vessels propelled by future marine fuels, such as ammonia or hydrogen.
The current project, which started in September 2021, saw the NYK Group and Elomatic starting the development of a concept design for an ARLFV that can efficiently be converted from an LNG-fuelled vessel to ammonia fuel, based on the assumption that ammonia will become a next-generation marine fuel.
The concept design considers the specifications of a ship from an operational aspect, including factors such as load capacity, voyage distance, ship speed, fuel capacity, etc. When an ARLFV is ordered from a shipbuilder in the future, this concept design can then be used.
Phase 1 of the project, from September 2021 to the end of February 2022, designed an ARLFV to perform the functions of a pure car carrier and a post-Panamax bulker. The partners came up with a basic concept, determining issues that are not yet technically feasible, and mainly addressed the following issues:
- Material of the tank to be loaded
- Placement of additional tanks for ammonia, which has a larger volume than LNG
- Hull structure strength and stability due to the addition of tanks
- A device that supplies ammonia to the main engine
- Confirmation of rules such as ship classification rules for safe use of ammonia fuel, etc.
During Phase 1.5, which will continue until June 2022, a similar concept will be examined for a Capesize bulk carrier and a very large crude oil carrier. Phase 2, scheduled to last until the end of 2022, will proceed with the actual design of an ARLFV with a shipyard and marine manufacturers, reflecting the results obtained in the concept design, such as the optimal fuel-tank layout, ammonia-fuel supply device, and structural strength of the hull.
This project will end when the actual ship design is completed, following which potential customers and business partners will be offered a transportation service that can transition trouble-free from LNG fuel to an ammonia-fuelled vessel through use of an ARLFV. The first ARLFV contracts will be offered in 2023, with the aim to complete building the first ARLFVs in 2025.
