SINGAPOREAN firm PaxOcean Engineering has signed a memorandum of understanding with bunker vessel operator Hong Lam Marine and classification society Bureau Veritas to jointly develop an ammonia bunker vessel design.
PaxOcean is to focus on developing designs for ammonia-fuelled and ammonia bunkering vessels.
Bureau Veritas will verify compliance with the most applicable and up-to-date rules, particularly those related to the handling of ammonia.
Hong Lam Marine’s role will be to provide input specific to operational data, and to support and validate the suitability of the ship design for commercial operations.
The companies said the MOU would foster innovation in smart and autonomous ship technologies and support the use of green ammonia as a sustainable fuel to help decarbonise global shipping.
Bureau Veritas vice-president, South Asia zone David Barrow said ammonia has great potential as a zero-carbon marine fuel.
“To fulfil this potential, more work is needed to overcome the safety and operational challenges,” he said.
“These challenges can be overcome through cross-industry collaboration, and we are very pleased to be working with PaxOcean and Hong Lam Marine to develop an ammonia bunker vessel design that de-risks ammonia as a marine fuel.”
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) welcomed the formation of the partnership.
MPA chief executive Quah Ley Hoon said: “I congratulate the collaboration between Bureau Veritas, Paxocean Engineering and Hong Lam Marine to study the design of bunkering vessels with alternate future fuels such as ammonia. As a major bunkering hub, this forward-looking collaboration aligns with our maritime decarbonisation efforts to be ready for a multi-fuel bunkering transition to support the future of International shipping.”
PaxOcean chief executive officer Tan Thai Yong said: “It brings me great pleasure to share that we are adding a new fuel segment into our R&D focus by co-creating ammonia-based vessel solutions with forward looking and responsible companies like Hong Lam Marine and Bureau Veritas. We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with Hong Lam Marine and Bureau Veritas, founded upon our complementary strengths in a push to accelerate the development of ammonia bunkering in Singapore.”
Hong Lam Marine chief executive Caroline Yang said: “We are pleased to be participating in the project in partnership with highly respected establishments and experts in the era of decarbonisation and sustainability in the Singapore marine fuel industry and beyond.”
