Belgian shipowner Exmar has received approval in principle by Lloyd’s Register for a 40,000 cbm LPG carrier that will go on ammonia.
Exmar said in a statement China’s Jiangnan Shipyard is behind the ship design while Finland’s Wartsila provided all input for the ammonia fuel gas supply system.
In addition, the technology evaluation for the midsize gas carrier included an “overall examination of fundamental aspects of the design and compliance with LR’s rules and regulations for the classification of ships and for the carriage of liquefied gases in bulk,” the statement said.
The duo also completed a risk assessment, using Exmar’s “extensive knowledge and experience of operating ammonia carriers.”
This included a hazard identification (HAZID) study which led to the approval in principle, the statement said.
Jens Ismar, executive director shipping at Exmar, said this approval marks an “important milestone in the process of developing low CO2 emission gas carriers.”
He added Exmar continues its steps towards “further innovation and decarbonisation by demonstrating the possibility of using ammonia as fuel onboard gas carriers.”
This follows Exmar’s initiative of introducing LPG as a fuel to the firm’s two dual-fuel VLGCs currently under construction, Ismar said.