Dutch fuel provider OCI has signed another memorandum of understanding with engine manufacturing giant MAN Energy Solutions and Germany’s Hartmann Gas Carriers, under which OCI intends to charter ammonia carriers built, owned and operated by Hartmann and its commercial arm, GasChem Services. 

The new ships will feature ammonia-fuelled engines designed by MAN. “The partnership aims to propel the commercialization of ammonia-fueled vessels and accelerate the energy transition and decarbonization of the shipping industry,” the three companies noted in a release.

Compared to hydrogen and LNG, ammonia is widely used and easier to store with extensive global distribution and storage infrastructure in place, OCI claimed today. Converting all long-distance shipping fuel to ammonia would require approximately 750 to 900m tonnes of ammonia annually by 2050, which is four to five times the current total global ammonia production, according to data from OCI.

Captain Alfred Hartmann, chairman of the supervisory board of the Hartmann Group said, “Hartmann Gas Carriers Germany together with their commercial arm, GasChem Services in Hamburg, are convinced of the opportunities that ammonia-fuelled vessels will offer to the environment. At a time when the maritime industry is at the dawn of a new era and looks for options to decarbonise shipping, we are proud and excited to be part of this highly innovative, future-looking project. The new vessel type will enable us to reduce carbon emissions significantly and set new standards for environmentally-friendly shipping.”

Maritime Magazine reported on Friday how Eastern Pacific Shipping had signed a similar MoU with OCI and MAN, aimed at retrofitting existing ships with methanol-fuelled engines and to build ammonia-fuelled ships. Photo: Hartmann Group