No separate ammonia bunkering needed for maiden voyage – Exmar

Exmar's newbuild ammonia dual-fuel gas carrier used part of its ammonia cargo as bunker fuel during its maiden voyage from China to India.

IMAGE: Ammonia-capable gas carrier, Antwerpen. Exmar

This eliminated the need for a separate ammonia bunkering operation, Kristof Coppé, director of fleet operations and technical business development at EXMAR, told ENGINE.

The Antwerpen carried ammonia in its 46,000-cbm cargo tanks, while propulsion fuel was supplied from two smaller on-deck ammonia fuel tanks. EXMAR has not disclosed the owner of the ammonia cargo.

These tanks can be replenished directly from the onboard cargo, allowing the vessel to operate on ammonia without dedicated bunkering infrastructure, Coppé said.

The vessel's WinGD dual-fuel ammonia engine requires around 5% pilot fuel during ammonia operations.

Exmar intends to operate the vessel on ammonia during its initial voyages to build operational experience. However, whether it continues to use ammonia over the longer term will depend on trading patterns, chartering arrangements and commercial considerations, Coppé added.

The company has ordered four ammonia-capable midsized gas carriers in this series from South Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai. Antwerpen will be followed by its sister vessel Arlon later this year, while the remaining two vessels are scheduled for delivery early next year.

By Konica Bhatt

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