Americas News
First US Approval for Ammonia Bunker Barge
US classification society ABS has given its preliminary approval to an ammonia bunker barge design for the first time.
ABS has given its approval in principle to the initial design of an ammonia bunkering articulated tug-barge from the RADIUS consortium, Japan's Sumitomo Corporation said in a statement on its website on Thursday.
The consortium members are ABS, AP Moller-Maersk, Fleet Management, the Georgia Ports Authority, MMMCZCS, Sumitomo Corporation and TOTE Services.
The group was established in March 2023 and has been carrying out a feasibility study on ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering on the US East Coast.
"The AB-ATB was designed to be compatible with vehicle carriers including Aurora Class PCTC (*2) recently delivered to Höegh Autoliners, the Norwegian shipping company, for bunkering operation at the ports of Jacksonville, Florida, and Brunswick, Georgia as well as a 15000 TEU (*3) ammonia-fuelled container vessel whose concept design was created by MMMCZCS, for bunkering operation at the port of Savannah, Georgia," Sumitomo said in the statement.
"The Parties expect this design approval to motivate and encourage the maritime industry to develop and order such types of ammonia fuelled vessel.
"This approval is a significant milestone in accelerating the potential of the first US ammonia bunkering vessel, targeting commercial operations by 2030."
