NEWS 329 : SAILING TOWARDS CARBON NEUTRALITY
Kyokuyo Shipyard Corporation, in collaboration with Uyeno Transtech Ltd. and Izumi Steel Works, Ltd. , has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from ClassNK for the design of a deep-cooled ammonia carrier equipped with two 6,000m3 semi-refrigerated tanks, with a total capacity of 12,000m3.
(An AiP is a scheme to review drawings for products in the early design stage, and to confirm technical feasibility from the viewpoint of the rules and regulations.)
In addition to the size of the vessel, which is more suitable to meet the entry restrictions at ports that are expected to receive ammonia in Japan, the new design will be able to transport a larger volume of ammonia than existing pressurized transport systems by adopting the deep-cooling method.
In alignment with the government's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has established a target of introducing 3 million tons of ammonia into Japan annually by 2030, with a projected increase to 30 million tons by 2050. Currently, the domestic transport of ammonia is approximately 300,000 tons per year, primarily utilized for fertilizer and industrial applications (rather than energy purposes). Transportation is predominantly reliant on smaller (200 to 1,000 ton) pressure-type coastal vessels and lorries.
Having received approval for the basic design of a large coastal carrier to transport large-capacity ammonia, Kyokuyo Shipyard is poised to contribute to Japan's future domestic energy transformation by building new vessels for the transport and bunkering of ammonia, a next-generation energy source.
[2024/12/20]
