HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) recently held a naming ceremony at its Ulsan shipyard for two 46,000m3 mid-sized gas carriers equipped with ammonia dual-fuel (DF) engines.
The two vessels were named Antwerpen and Arlon, after cities in Belgium. They are the first and second of four ammonia-powered mid-sized gas carriers ordered by Exmar LPG France, a subsidiary of Belgian shipping company Exmar, in 2023 and 2024. The vessels are scheduled to be handed over in May and late July 2026, following final outfitting.
The vessels measure 190m in length, 30.4m in width and 18.8m height, and are equipped with three cargo tanks designed and built using HHI’s proprietary technology, enabling the safe transport of liquefied gas cargoes such as ammonia and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
They feature a shaft generator, which produces electricity using the propulsion engine’s rotating shaft, and a SCR system to reduce NOx emissions, further enhancing their environmental performance.
The vessels are equipped with advanced detection and mitigation systems, including an ammonia gas detector for real-time leak monitoring and an ammonia purge recovery unit, ensuring a high level of safety.
Ammonia (NH3), an eco-friendly, carbon-free fuel, can be stored in pressurised tanks at around 8 bar or in refrigerated tanks at -33°C without the need for cryogenic technology. In liquid form, it has about 1.7 times higher storage density than liquefied hydrogen (-253°C) at the same volume, making it suitable for large-scale, long-distance transport and storage of hydrogen. A net-zero roadmap released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that ammonia will account for 8% of marine fuel demand in 2030, rising to 46% by 2050, indicating that demand for ammonia-powered vessels is expected to grow significantly.
Joo Won-ho, head of HHI Naval & Special Ship Business Unit, said: “It is very meaningful for us to have built the world’s first ammonia-powered vessel, which requires advanced technical expertise. We will continue to strengthen our leadership in the global eco-friendly ship market through ongoing technological innovation.”
HHI has secured orders for a total of eight ammonia-powered vessels from companies including Exmar and Trafigura. The company believes it is leading the next-generation eco-friendly fuel ship market, having delivered the first methanol-powered petrochemical product carrier in 2016 and the first methanol-powered container ship in 2023.
Image: Naming of ‘Antwerpen’ and ‘Arlon’ (source: HD Hyundai Heavy Industries)
