Project partners in the joint study will look at the potential of ammonia as a marine fuel within Singapore’s bunkering supply chain
Taking an in-depth look at the ammonia bunkering race, class society ABS said it will work with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore, and the Ammonia Safety and Training Institute (ASTI) to "assess safety protocols and probe for possible gaps in the bunkering supply chain for ammonia as a marine fuel".
Initial partners in the study are to include ExxonMobil, Hoegh LNG, MAN Energy Solutions Singapore, Jurong Port, PSA Singapore and ITOCHU Group, an ABS statement said.
"Ammonia is a fuel with significant potential for marine applications and ABS is leading the way in understanding challenges in the safe design and operation of ammonia-fuelled vessels," ABS director of sustainability strategy Panos Koutsourakis said.
"It is also clear that Singapore has the potential to play a critical role as a strategic downstream location to receive, store, consume or bunker ammonia. We are proud to be able to utilise our industry-leading experience with ammonia to contribute to understanding the opportunities and challenges presented by ammonia to the Port of Singapore," he said.
MAN Energy Solutions vice president heading up research and development for the two-stroke side of MAN’s operation, Brian Østergaard Sørensen said MAN sees ammonia as "a very interesting candidate as a zero-carbon fuel".
"A suitable engine technology is, of course, key and MAN Energy Solutions... aims to deliver the first ammonia-fuelled, two-stroke engine in 2024. We look forward to adding our expertise to this study to the benefit of Singapore, which is such a vital shipping hub," he said.
ABS is active in the ammonia marine fuel and propulsion market, having approved the world’s first ammonia fuel-ready vessel, an ABS-classed Suezmax, now under construction in China.
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