A Japanese consortium has completed the world’s first ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering operation involving an ammonia-fuelled vessel, testing procedures that could support future ammonia fuel supply networks.
The operation took place on September 17 at Japan Marine United’s Ariake Shipyard. Ammonia was transferred from the 998-GT ammonia carrier MV Shoei Maru to a new medium gas carrier being built for ammonia-fuelled operation.
The receiving vessel is scheduled for delivery to NYK in November and will use ammonia during its upcoming sea trials.
NYK, Japan Marine United, Nihon Shipyard, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical and Kokuka Sangyo carried out the demonstration. The companies developed operating procedures and work processes for the transfer and collected operational data during the operation.
The test addresses one of the key practical challenges facing ammonia as a marine fuel. Unlike conventional bunker fuels, ammonia is highly toxic, making safe storage, transfer and onboard handling essential.
Ship-to-ship bunkering could eventually allow ammonia to be supplied to vessels at sea or at locations without suitable shore-based infrastructure. Developing safe and repeatable transfer procedures will become increasingly important as more ammonia-fuelled ships enter service.
NYK has already gained experience with ammonia through MV Sakigake, a tug converted for ammonia-fuelled operation in 2024. The vessel has so far used truck-to-ship bunkering, making the latest demonstration a further step in developing ammonia fuel handling capabilities.
The new ammonia-fuelled gas carrier is being developed under Japan’s $13.7 billion Green Innovation Fund, which supports technologies aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
The successful transfer provides practical experience that can be used to refine ammonia bunkering procedures and support the development of future supply networks for the fuel.
