The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping has unveiled the design of a 15,000 TEU container vessel powered by ammonia. The project, in collaboration with Seaspan, the largest boxship lessor, features a dual-fuel engine running on very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) and ammonia. The ship includes an 11,600 cubic meter non-pressurized ammonia tank and can travel at 16 knots for 12,000 nautical miles, with extended fuel endurance allowing for 18,500 nautical miles. The initiative is connected to the SABRE Consortium, which aims to develop and demonstrate an ammonia supply chain in Singapore. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that ammonia will account for approximately 45% of marine fuel demand by 2050. Last week, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) also announced plans for an ammonia dual-fuel operation on a future containership, collaborating with Lloyd’s Register, MAN Energy Solutions, and Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI) for the vessel’s design.
