World’s first commercial-use ammonia-fuelled tugboat completes three-month demonstration voyage

The world’s first commercial-use ammonia-fuelled vessel, Sakigake, has successfully completed a three-month demonstration voyage, during which the vessel engaged in tugboat operations in Tokyo Bay and achieved a GHG-emission reduction of up to approximately 95%.



The vessel was completed by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and IHI Power Systems Co., Ltd. (IPS) on August 23, 2024, in cooperation with Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) as part of a Green Innovation Fund Project under Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

The development project of this vessel started in October 2021 as part of NEDO’s Green Innovation Fund Project: 'Development of vessels equipped with domestically produced ammonia-fuelled engines'. It was completed in August 2024, becoming the world’s first commercial-use ammonia-fuelled vessel. Afterward, NYK Group company Shin-Nippon Kaiyosha engaged the vessel in a three-month demonstration voyage while conducting tugboat operations in Tokyo Bay.

NEDO says it will continue to promote research and development of next-generation fuel vessels, including developing an ammonia-fuelled ammonia gas carrier and working toward achieving carbon neutrality in the shipping industry.