ABS and Lloyd’s Register Greenlight 3500 TEU Ammonia Container Ship Design

The two classification societies American Bureau Of Shipping (ABS) and Lloyd’s Register (LR) have issued an approval in principle (AiP) for a new ship design of an ammonia-fueled 3500 TEU container vessel.

A cross-industry taskforce including A. P. Moller-Maersk, MAN Energy Solutions, Deltamarin, Eltronic FuelTech, ABS and LR led by the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping is behind the new design.

The vessels is 212 meters long, with a breadth of 35 meters. Its ammonia tank capacity is 4300 m3.

When awarding an AiP, the classification societies perform a novel technology evaluation to examine all fundamental aspects of the ship design and general compliance with the associated rules/regulations.

An AiP is not a regulatory approval as these are issued by flag state administrations.

Next, the remarks raised on the design will be addressed and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping continues to lead this work looking into extending the project to a second phase with partners including a charterer and ship owner.

“To unlock the potential of sustainable ammonia as an alternative, low emission marine fuel we must carefully address the safety issues onboard and ensure a safe and healthy working environment for our seafarers and people in ports.

“The AiP of the new ship design is a major milestone on this journey as it demonstrates that safety criteria for the application of ammonia as the main fuel is within tolerable levels of industry safety management practices”, said Claus W. Graugaard, Chief Technology Officer, Onboard Vessel Solutions at the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.

“This project is an important step on the road to the wider adoption of ammonia as a marine fuel by the industry. ABS is committed to utilizing our highly specialized technical knowledge and research capabilities to explore viable, safe solutions for our clients’ decarbonization challenges.

“ABS is proud to contribute to this project team and to the work of the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping,” added John McDonald, ABS President and COO.