Japanese shipping company NYK, in collaboration with ammonia trader Trammo, has completed its first ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of liquefied ammonia.
The operation was conducted on September 2 off the coast of Ceuta, Spain.
It involved the STS transfer of 23,000 tons of ammonia from Berlian Ekuator, an ammonia carrier owned by NYK and time-chartered by Mitsui & Co., to Trammo-operated Eco Enchanted.
Following STS transfers of crude oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), this marked NYK’s first operation involving liquefied ammonia.
Ammonia is expected to be used in various applications, including marine fuel. With demand projected to increase, the STS method, which is not constrained by port size or onshore equipment, is attracting attention as a flexible supply method compared to conventional land-based cargo handling methods, NYK explained.
The shipping company said it will build on the insights and experience gained from this transfer to further advance next-generation fuels and strengthen safe maritime transportation systems, contributing to the broader goal of achieving a decarbonized society.
In 2024, NYK and its partners completed the conversion of the tugboat Sakigake from LNG- to an ammonia-fueled vessel, making it “the world’s first” commercial-use ammonia-fueled vessel.
During its three-month demonstration voyage, the tugboat achieved a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of approximately 95%.
The Japanese shipping major, in collaboration with LMG Marin and other consortium partners, is also a developer of a “pioneering” ammonia-fueled ammonia bunkering vessel design approved by classification society ClassNK.