EXMAR launches its first ammonia-fueled vessel
By on August 18, 2025
Hull No.8389 launched by Hyundai Mipo in Ulsan
Click to enlarge. HD Hyundai Mipo launched the new ammonia-fueled vessel in Ulsan last month: the first of four to be delivered to EXMAR in 2026. Source: EXMAR LinkedIn.
Hull No.8389 is the first of four 46,000 m3 mid-sized gas carrier vessels being constructed in South Korea for EXMAR, with formal delivery on track for 2026. Back in June, a WinGD dual-fuel ammonia engine was installed onboard the vessel, after steel-cutting began in January. Billed as the “world’s first oceangoing ammonia-fueled vessel” (a number of ammonia-powered tugboats are already operational), the 190m long LPG/ammonia carrier can achieve a 90% GHG emission reduction well-to-wake under ammonia fuel propulsion. Steel-cutting for the next vessel in the series (Hull No.8390) occurred in May this year.
146 ammonia-fueled vessels en route
This vessel is just one of 146 being tracked by the AEA as part of the Low-Emission Ammonia Data (LEAD) project. EXMAR’s four ammonia-fueled vessels from Ulsan are expected to be some of the very first oceangoing examples operational from next year. Of this ammonia-fueled dataset (there are another 239 “ammonia-ready” vessels being tracked), 29 each of the ammonia and bulk carrier vessel types are at some stage of construction.