Nordic Consortium to Design Ammonia-powered Ammonia Carrier

The NoGAPS project was initially funded for one year under the Nordic Innovation Mobility Mission: Sea Meets Land in 2020. The project carried out a concept study exploring the potential for decarbonised the shipping sector through the deployment of an ammonia-powered ammonia carrier.

Building on the findings of the initial project, Nordic Innovation has now decided to co-fund NoGAPS for an additional 24 months. The project consortium consists of major industry actors Global Maritime Forum, Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, Yara, BW Epic Kosan, MAN Energy Solutions, Wärtsilä and DNV.

The project partners will produce a detailed ship design for an ammonia-powered ammonia carrier – the M/S NoGAPS which will lay the foundation for a shipyard tender and the construction of the vessel.

The work will address challenges in vessel design identified in the initial NoGAPS project, including materials and configuration for fuel storage and engine room, crew placement, containment systems, optimal tank sizing and placement, and energy efficiency among other issues.

The medium-term objective (2024/2025) of the project is to have the M/S NoGAPS in operation in the region. The long-term (2025-) objective is to establish the infrastructure, operational and business models for ammonia-powered shipping in the region.

As the first ammonia engines are expected to be ready in 2024, the timing is ideal for developing this design in 2021-2022.

The M/S NoGAPS will be a ship that operates commercially in the Nordic region, and the project partners (particularly Yara and BWEK) involved in that operation have significant strategic interests in ensuring that the ship contributes to the spread of zero-emission ammonia-powered shipping.

The market for green ammonia as a marine fuel is estimated to be over US$1 trillion. Ammonia-powered shipping is a credible route to contribute to the long-term decarbonisation of the shipping sector, as confirmed by analyses from the IRENA, University College London/Lloyd’s Register, EDF and others.

As demonstrated in the initial NoGAPS project report, ammonia carriers offer a significant opportunity to introduce ammonia-powered shipping early, given their advantages with respect to handling and safety routines and bunkering.