KRISO Drives Eco-Friendly Ship Development With Ammonia Fuel Supply

▶ AiP awarded for ammonia fuel supply system in ammonia carriers

□ Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean engineering (hereinafter KRISO, President Booki, Kim) announced on the 6th that its ammonia fuel supply system for 84K(84,000CBM) ammonia carriers was awarded an AiP from Lloyd’s Register (hereinafter LR*).

* LR(Lloyd’s Register): UK-based register of shipping which establishes standards for ship engineering and safety, and conducts surveys of vessel construction and management

□ This is the second AiP awarded to Korean technology for an ammonia fuel supply system, and highly meaningful in that it was developed with a detailed piping and instrumentation diagram (P&ID) reflecting operation and control concepts, and a complete Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP*).

* HAZOP(Hazard and Operability Study): Comprehensive safety review including a review of details such as piping and instrumentation diagrams as well as overall equipment safety.

□ The ammonia fuel supply system supplies fuel (ammonia) from the ammonia storage tank to the ammonia engine, raising pressure to the level required by the engine while keeping temperature within the permissible range.

□ In response to IMO environmental regulations, the global shipbuilding industry has been working develop carbon-free fuel propulsion systems for ships. Unlike fuels conventionally used in ship propulsion systems such as diesel and bunker C oil, ammonia does not produce carbon emissions, and is a promising candidate fuel for eco-friendly ships of the future.

□ Major shipbuilders such as CSSC, China’s largest shipbuilding group, and Japan’s NSY are currently developing ammonia fueled ships, and the top three Korean shipbuilders have also announced their development of ammonia-fueled oil tankers and container ships.

□ The AiP for the ammonia fuel supply system is expected to not only contribute to the expansion of ammonia fueled ships, but also the advancement of KRISO’s green hydrogen research*.

* Green hydrogen: Hydrogen produced through electrolysis of water using renewable energy such as solar or wind power.

□ KRISO is exploring various supply chains to transport green hydrogen generated in offshore facilities to land, and one method involves converting green hydrogen to ammonia (green ammonia) for easier transportation.

□ Green hydrogen converted to ammonia is easier to store and transport than hydrogen in pressurized or liquid forms. Furthermore, the transportation of green ammonia using the newly developed ammonia fuel supply system would be carbon-free.

□ President Booki Kim of KRISO commented, “the development of the ammonia fuel supply system is an achievement signalling the arrival of carbon-free fuel for ships,”adding, “we hope for the expanded use of eco-friendly ships using carbon-free energy sources to become reality as soon as possible.”