China's first pair of ammonia-dual-fuel gas carriers were named Andre Mand Gas Coralon Wednesday in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
China's first ammonia-dual-fuel gas carriers were named Andre M and Gas Coral at a ceremony on Wednesday in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, ahead of their delivery to Southwest Maritime Limited by Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation.
The two 25,000-cubic-meter LPG and liquid ammonia vessels can cut full-lifecycle emissions by 61 percent compared with conventional LNG-dual-fuel carriers, according to a statement from Huangpu Wenchong. They are designed to carry multiple liquefied gas cargoes and operate in temperatures as low as -50 C, with seamless switching between ammonia fuel and diesel modes.
Ammonia releases no carbon dioxide upon combustion, making it an increasingly attractive shipping fuel, though its toxicity and flammability present construction and safety management challenges that Huangpu Wenchong said it had overcome during the build.
China's first pair of ammonia-dual-fuel gas carriers were named Andre Mand Gas Coralon Wednesday in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The vessels, designed by CSSC's Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute, measure 159.9 meters in length and 26.5 meters in breadth. They meet CCS Ice Class B navigation requirements and the Phase III EEDI energy efficiency standard. Andre M is expected to become the first ammonia-fueled gas carrier certified by the China Classification Society upon delivery.
The project fills a domestic gap in ammonia-fueled liquefied gas carrier technology and represents China's first operational vessels of this type, the statement said, offering a commercial demonstration for broader adoption of ammonia fuel in the global shipping industry.
