ClassNK reports that in December 2023, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), Japan Engine Corporation, IHI Power Systems Co., and Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd. signed a series of contracts to construct the world’s first ammonia-fuelled medium gas carrier (AFMGC) equipped with Japan-made engines, for completion by November 2026.
In October 2021, the four companies were selected by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) for its Green Innovation Fund Project, and together with Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK), a partner organization, the five parties in the consortium have been working on a demonstration project for the commercialization of vessels equipped with a domestically produced ammonia-fuelled engine,
Through the development and construction of the AFMGC, ClassNK says the consortium will contribute to the practical application of ammonia-fuelled ships.
International rules for ships using ammonia as fuel are not yet in place, and the IMO is currently discussing the issue. This Japanese project is one of the first to develop ammonia-fuelled ships, and the knowledge gained from the construction and operation of AFMGCs will be essential to the progress of discussions at the IMO. The consortium aims to work closely with ClassNK and Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) to contribute actively to international rulemaking.
