Berge Bulk Orders Ammonia-fueled Newcastlemax Pair

Berge Bulk informs it has placed an order for two ammonia dual fuel vessels from China's Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Heavy Industry as part of a push by the dry bulk shipowner to decarbonize its operations.

The two 210,000-DWT Newcastlemax vessels will meet the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Tier III NOx (nitrogen oxides) standards and Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) Phase 3 compliance for greenhouse gas emissions.

The Singapore-headquartered company has been leveraging a number of green technologies—from auxiliary wind propulsions systems and carbon capture to alternative fuels such as methanol and ammonia—to meet its goals of carbon neutrality by 2025. It also aims to operate a zero-emissions vessel by 2030 ahead of a full zero emissions fleet by 2050.

James Marshall, Berge Bulk founder and CEO, said, “The use of ammonia fuel represents an important milestone in our commitment to operate a zero emissions vessel by 2030 and an essential pillar in our plan to decarbonize. We continue to take urgent action in all four areas of our strategy to effectively reduce our current emissions and achieve carbon neutrality by 2025.”

Paolo Tonon, Chief Technical Officer, Berge Bulk, said, “Ammonia is a promising zero-carbon fuel for the future of the shipping industry. Berge Bulk has been actively engaged in discussions with key players in the ammonia supply chain. We are encouraged by the steady progress being made with the development of ammonia engines and the logistics of ammonia bunkering. This evolving landscape has given us the confidence to order these two dual fuel ammonia vessels.”