SINGAPORE – Six new vessels with ammonia dual-fuel engines will be registered under the Singapore Registry of Ships from 2026, as part of the Republic’s efforts to green the maritime sector.
An ammonia dual-fuel engine is one that can run on both conventional marine fuels and ammonia, an alternative fuel that shippers are exploring to reduce emissions.
Shipping firm Eastern Pacific Shipping on April 17 inked agreements with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and classification societies ABS and Lloyd’s Register to register the six vessels under the Singapore flag.
Four of the six vessels are bulk carriers that will be the first in Singapore – and among the first in the world – to use ammonia as a marine fuel from 2026, while the other two are very large ammonia carriers that will be scheduled for delivery in 2027.
Under the agreements, Eastern Pacific Shipping will collaborate with MPA in the fields of ammonia bunkering capabilities, seafarer training on management and safety, as well as the sharing of knowledge for ammonia-related solutions and standards.
The shipping firm will work closely with MPA to support crew training in the areas of zero and near-zero emission fuels at the new Maritime Energy Training Facility that will be set up by 2026, the authority said.
MPA said the partnership demonstrates a “collective ‘act-now’ approach” to decarbonisation and environmental preservation.
Mr Teo Eng Dih, chief executive of MPA, said the delivery of the ammonia dual-fuel vessels will boost confidence in the use of ammonia as a marine fuel.
“It will help accelerate efforts to develop the value chain and infrastructure required and the training of the workforce to be ready to safely handle ammonia as a fuel,” he added.
MPA also outlined other decarbonisation efforts, including selecting a lead developer by the first quarter of 2025 to provide provide low- or zero-carbon ammonia for power generation and bunkering on Jurong Island.
The authority is in the midst of shortlisting proposals by six finalists, and will carry out a study on ammonia import terminals, ammonia bunkering and ammonia power generation to confirm the technical and economic feasibility of the project before selecting the developer.
When completed, the project will generate 55 megawatts (MW) to 65MW of electricity and have an ammonia bunkering capacity of at least 100,000 tonnes per year.
MPA and Enterprise Singapore are also developing national standards on the use of methanol and ammonia, ensuring the safe adoption and handling of these alternative fuels.
These standards cover areas such as operational and safety requirements for the delivery of methanol and ammonia from a bunker – or refuelling – tanker to receiving vessels, and crew training.
The national standards for methanol are slated to be published by Enterprise Singapore in 2025, while MPA’s regulatory framework for methanol bunkering licences will be finalised in the coming months.
The authority will also call for licence applications to supply methanol as a marine fuel in Singapore by the end of 2024.