The first commercial-use ammonia-fuelled vessel, ‘Sakigake’, has successfully completed a three-month demonstration voyage, during which the vessel engaged in tugboat operations in Tokyo Bay and achieved a GHG-emission reduction of up to about 95%.
The vessel was completed by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and IHI Power Systems (IPS) in August 2024, in cooperation with Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) as part of a Green Innovation Fund Project under Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
NEDO will continue to promote R&D of next-generation fuel vessels, including developing an ammonia-fuelled ammonia carrier and working toward achieving carbon neutrality in the shipping industry.
The development project started in October 2021 as part of NEDO’s Green Innovation Fund Project; Development of vessels equipped with domestically produced ammonia-fuelled engines. It was completed in August 2024, becoming the world’s first commercial-use ammonia-fuelled vessel. NYK Group company Shin-Nippon Kaiyosha then engaged the vessel in a three-month demonstration voyage while conducting tugboat operations in Tokyo Bay.
NYK and IPS have analysed the ammonia co-firing and GHG-reduction rates during vessel operations and confirmed them to consistently exceed 90% and rise to approximately 95% in each of the main engine load ranges. The demonstration tests while in tug operation is believed to confirm that ammonia is a viable and promising next-generation fuel for vessels.
The vessel will continue to be used for tug operations in Tokyo Bay, continuing to accumulate knowledge related to the development and operation of ammonia-fuelled vessels. NYK, Japan Engine Corporation, IPS, and Nippon Shipyard are working together to develop an ammonia-fuelled ammonia gas carrier, which is scheduled to be delivered in November 2026, also as part of the NEDO ammonia fuel project. NEDO is promoting R&D of next-generation fuel vessels, including those fuelled by ammonia, and will work towards achieving carbon neutrality in the shipping industry.
Image: Ammonia-fuelled tug ‘Sakigake’ (source: NYK)
