The two classification societies, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and Lloyd’s Register (LR), have awarded a new ship design of an ammonia-fueled 3,500 TEU container vessel Approval in Principle (AiP). A cross-industry taskforce including A. P. Møller-Mærsk, MAN Energy Solutions, Deltamarin, Eltronic FuelTech, ABS, and LR, and led by the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, is behind the new design.

The result of this collaborative approach is a milestone in enabling ammonia as an alternative marine fuel.

To unlock the potential of sustainable ammonia as an alternative, low-emissions marine fuel, we must carefully address the safety issues on board and ensure a safe and healthy working environment for our seafarers and people in ports. The AiP of the new ship design is a major milestone on this journey, as it demonstrates that safety criteria for the application of ammonia as the main fuel is within tolerable levels of industry safety management practices.

The fact that we have both ABS and LR granting this AiP in parallel is a testimony to the robustness of the design and to the iterative risk assessment and systematic risk management intelligence that have gone into it. This development work has only been possible because all project partners have contributed with innovative thinking and willingness to share knowledge. Collaboration is the fastest way to co-creating the prescriptive rules and innovative solutions we need.

—Claus W. Graugaard, Chief Technology Officer, Onboard Vessel Solutions at the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping

When awarding an AiP, the classification societies perform a novel technology evaluation to examine all fundamental aspects of the ship design and general compliance with the associated rules/regulations. An AiP is not a regulatory approval, as these are issued by flag state administrations.

The design outlines a commercially viable and safe ammonia-fueled 3,500 TEU container feeder. The focus has been on achieving an adequate level of safety for crew, and at the same time minimizing loss of cargo capacity. The ammonia tank capacity (4,000 m³) was selected for a full roundtrip of relevant trades for this vessel. A. P. Møller-Mærsk has contributed with vast experience on the ship design part; MAN Energy Solutions with engine manufacturer/supplier expertise, as the vessel features the first commercially available ammonia engine; and ABS and LR with safety and statutory standard expertise throughout the design and risk assessment process.

The detailed concept design was created by the ship design house Deltamarin, and the detailed fuel system supplier by Eltronic FuelTech. Two flag states, DMA and MPA, participated in the project’s risk assessments.

Following extensive HAZID and HAZOP risk analysis, the detailed design package was submitted to the two classification societies for a review in the context of the AiP. The design package entails drawings, calculations, and reports on ship and fuel system design.

Following the AiP, the project team will integrate updates and feedback from the two class societies and a summary and project documentation will be issues in a report later this year which will be publicly available free of charge on the website of the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.