Bureau Veritas (BV) has delivered an approval in principle (AIP) to
Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (HHI) and Korea Shipbuilding &
Offshore Engineering Co., Ltd. (KSOE) for its innovative design and
development of an ammonia carrier with ammonia-fueled propulsion.

Ammonia, which continues to gain interest as a marine fuel
worldwide, is one of the main alternative fuel options currently
considered by shipping for net zero operations, in line with the
targets set up by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to
reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the maritime sector by 2030
and 2050.

The design was developed to ensure its compatibility with the
existing infrastructure for ammonia, while also reflecting the
market’s demand for very large gas carriers (VLGC). The vessel will
be 227m long, 36.6m wide, and 23.6m deep – similar dimensions to
that of the HHI 91K VLGC design. It will be equipped with four
prismatic-type cargo tanks with a total capacity of 91,000 cubic
meters. This design was optimized for the safe and efficient
carriage of ammonia as a single cargo, thereby maximizing
competitiveness for shipowners, both in terms of capex and opex.

Won Ho Joo, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Technical
officer of HHI, said, “We are pleased to leverage our expertise
towards the green transition pathway for the decarbonization of
maritime transport, in line with our continuous commitment as a
leader in the shipbuilding industry. We also promise that HHI Group
will continue to encourage new value creation to lead the market,
satisfying customers’ desire for maximizing their profits with the
achievement of ‘GHG zero emission’.”

Matthieu de Tugny, President of Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore,
said, “Today’s announcement demonstrates this is a feasible solution
that will support our journey towards net zero carbon shipping. We
are delighted about the positive outcome of this partnership, and we
are excited to see this cooperation paving the way for further
successes for both HHI and BV in technology development for newbuild
market.”