Japanese group NYK recently participated in two conferences in Tokyo to talk about the possibility of a demand increase for ammonia as a marine fuel and to introduce the company’s efforts toward social implementation of ammonia as fuel for ships.
At the Second International Conference on Fuel Ammonia, organised by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Clean Fuel Ammonia Association (CFAA), NYK was the only conference participant from the shipping industry. The conference aim is to strengthen the foundation for international public-private partnerships to build a stable and flexible market and supply chain for fuel ammonia, which would be effective in combating global warming.It was attended by more than 20 governments, international organisations, research institutes, and private companies.
Toshi Nakamura (pictured), NYK EO, introduced the below points under the theme of ‘Decarbonisation of Shipping with Ammonia as Marine Fuel’.
- The expectation that demands for fuel ammonia as marine fuel will increase significantly in the future.
- The development of an ammonia-fueled tugboat and an ammonia-fueled ammonia gas carrier (AFAGC) by NYK and its consortium partners using the Green Innovation Fund. In particular, Nakamura introduced the receipt of a world-first AiP (approval in principle) for each vessel.
- NYK’s efforts and contributions to the establishment of the ammonia supply chain, etc.
At the 2022 Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF), an international platform organised by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Tsutomu Yokoyama, GM NYK Green Business Group, made a speech titled ‘The Challenge of Achieving Net-Zero Emissions by 2050’. The ICEF annual meeting has been held since 2014, and the ninth meeting was convened in Tokyo with a total of 84 organisations participating. This conference brings together prominent experts from industry, government, and academia to engage in lively discussions with the aim of exploring innovation-based solutions to the urgent issue of climate change.
This was the first time for NYK to take part in this conference, and Yokoyama explained the progress of NYK’s projects utilising the Green Innovation Fund, including receipt of the AiP for the AFAGC, a recent major step forward. Yokoyama also introduced NYK’s overall efforts to achieve its long-term goal of net-zero emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) by 2050 for the NYK Group’s oceangoing businesses.
