MAN, COSCO to cooperate on engine retrofits
The collaboration integrates MAN’s dual-fuel engine technology with COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry's repair and vessel modification capabilities.
The collaboration integrates MAN’s dual-fuel engine technology with COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry's repair and vessel modification capabilities.
At Singapore Maritime Week, Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore and Australia’s national science agency CSIRO announced funding for eight maritime decarbonization projects, including ammonia safety training, and an AI-based safety management system. MPA also signed agreements with ABS, the Ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp-Brugges, and confirmed it has contributed to early work on training guidelines for the safe handling of methanol and ammonia at the IMO.
Between 2026 and 2029, Mitsui O.S.K Lines will add three ammonia-powered Capesize bulkers and six chemical tankers to its fleet through joint ownership and chartership with CMB.TECH. MOL, Namura Shipbuilding and Mitsubishi Shipbuilding have also received AiP from ClassNK for a large-size ammonia-powered ammonia carrier.
Alfa Laval has signed its first contract for its new ammonia fuel supply system, FCM Ammonia. The system will be installed onboard seven LPG/ammonia carriers being built in China, each featuring WinGD’s X-DF-A engine.
2025 is a critical year for the adoption of ammonia fuel in shipping. Here, we preview important upcoming meetings of the International Maritime Organization, what regulatory gaps are being filled by this work, potential candidates for decarbonization measures, and progress in engine development. All this sets the scene for incredible progress to be made in the coming years.
With commercial deployment scheduled to start this June, both WinGD and MAN ES’s under-development ammonia fueled engines have reported promising results across performance, ammonia safety and emissions optimisation parameters. MAN ES and MITSUI have also commenced a commercial-scale prototype test of the MITSUI-MAN ES large-bore, low-speed, two-stroke ammonia engine in Tamano, Japan.
Following a time-charter agreement between the two companies, NYK will deliver an ammonia-fueled medium gas carrier to Yara Clean Ammonia in November 2026.
In 2025, the pieces are rapidly assembling to enable and accelerate imports of ammonia energy to Japan. This year, government agency METI is due to announce two lots of key funding, including contracts for difference subsidies and development of import infrastructure. Power generation technologies will be commercialised within the next few years, and more maritime players are joining the push to deploy ammonia fuel in Japanese ships.
Starting in mid-2027, Norwegian timber exporter Viken AT Market will move part of its timber transport operations to a brand-new hybrid vessel that will run on electricity and ammonia fuel. Vessel developer Skarv Shipping has multiple ammonia-fueled vessels on order from Chinese shipyard Huanghai Shipbuilding.
In Japan, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment will invest $212 million in the domestic manufacture of ammonia engines, fuel tanks and components. In Korea, the national Export-Import Bank has committed to supporting ammonia-fueled newbuilds.