Lloyd’s Register and HD Hyundai Mipo announce Approval in Principle for new ammonia-fuelled ship design

Lloyd’s Register Approves New Ammonia-Fueled Ship Design by Hyundai

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has given its Approval in Principle (AiP) to HD Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) for a new ship design powered by ammonia fuel. This marks a big step towards using cleaner energy in the shipping world, helping to reduce harmful emissions.

The new ship design, revealed during Gastech 2024 in Houston, is quite impressive. The vessel is 160 meters long, 25.5 meters wide, and 16.7 meters deep. It has three large cargo tanks and is powered by Azimuth thrusters that help the ship move more easily. It also comes with a special bow thruster to make steering better.

Why Ammonia as a Fuel?

Ammonia is becoming popular in the maritime industry because, when burned, it doesn’t produce carbon dioxide (CO2). Since ships are responsible for a large amount of global emissions, finding cleaner fuels like ammonia is important. However, ammonia needs extra care because it behaves differently from other fuels. This is why safety and good design are crucial to making sure ammonia-fueled ships work well and safely.

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Lloyd’s Register and Hyundai’s Joint Project

This approval is part of a Joint Development Project (JDP) between Lloyd’s Register and Hyundai. Through this project, Lloyd’s Register will carefully check Hyundai’s ship design. They want to make sure it is safe, meets the highest standards, and follows all the rules set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Leadership and Industry Insights

Sung-Gu Park, President of Lloyd’s Register for North East Asia, said, “This is a big step towards making maritime fuel more sustainable. By working together, Lloyd’s Register and HMD are showing how technical innovation can lead to cleaner energy in shipping.”

Dong-Jin Lee, Head of the Initial Design Division at Hyundai, shared his excitement as well. “Ships that run on ammonia are the future of the marine industry. We are moving away from traditional fuels, and this partnership shows our dedication to developing cleaner ship designs,” he said.

Support from the Liberian Registry

The Liberian Registry, one of the biggest ship registries, also supported this project. Thomas Klenum, Executive Vice President of the registry, said, “We are proud to be part of this project. The global maritime industry is working hard to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and get to net-zero emissions by 2050. Ammonia-fueled ships like this one are crucial for reaching those goals.”

Conclusion

As the maritime world moves towards cleaner fuel options, ammonia-powered ships are quickly becoming a key part of that transition. The partnership between Lloyd’s Register and Hyundai shows that the industry is serious about finding new solutions to reduce emissions and protect the environment. This approval is just the beginning, and we can expect to see more ammonia-fueled ships in the future.