KR approves SHI's ammonia-propelled container ship

Classification society Korean Register (KR) has awarded an approval in principle (AiP) to South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries’ (SHI) ammonia-fuelled container ship.

PHOTO: Getty Images

Ammonia as a bunker fuel offers economic and efficiency advantages over other alternative fuels, but its high toxicity and corrosiveness pose significant concerns. This necessitates a fuel propulsion system specifically designed to address these issues, along with additional safety measures that account for the ship's operational characteristics, according to KR.

SHI developed a new structural layout for the 9,300 TEU container ship, taking ammonia's properties into consideration. It designed the fuel system, basic ship layout, and components such as the fuel tank, fuel supply system, ventilation and gas monitoring system tailored to the ammonia fuel application.

KR applied both domestic and international regulations, along with classification rules, to assess and verify the safety of the entire system, including the structural integrity of the ammonia fuel tank, ultimately granting approval.

The approval was awarded at the Gastech Exhibition and Conference 2024 in Houston, the US this week.

By Tuhin Roy

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