Ocean Network Express has held a ceremony in Singapore to mark the naming of ONE Sparkle, a methanol and ammonia-ready containership.
Built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan, South Korea, the vessel can carry about 13,800 twenty feet equivalent (TEU) containers and is part of a series of 20 large ammonia/methanol ready vessels that will be built in Korea and Japan and scheduled for delivery in 2025 and 2026.
Jeremy Nixon, CEO, said the ship is its first owned newbuilding, and showcases its commitment to sustainable shipping with its innovative design and alternative fuel capabilities.
“As we expand our owned fleet, these advanced vessels will play a crucial role in meeting our environmental targets while enhancing our service reliability,” he said.
The advanced hull design provided improved energy efficiency and the ship incorporates latest energy-saving devices and smart technology.
Source: Yara Clean Ammonia
Last week Yara Clean Ammonia, the world’s largest ammonia distributor, signed a time-charter contract with Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) for an ammonia-fuelled 40,000 cbm medium gas carrier (AFMGC) to be delivered in November 2026.
“Our successful collaboration with NYK enables us not only to comply with future regulations related to CO2 emissions from sea-going vessels but also helps us to ensure that our customers can receive carbon-intensity compliant clean ammonia throughout our supply chain from well to wake,” said Murali Srinivasan, Senior Vice-President Commercial in Yara Clean Ammonia.
Last year saw shipowners order 600 ships capable of using alternative fuels, a 50% increase, according to Lloyd’s Register. Methanol-fuelled vessels led the way (119 orders) although ammonia-fuelled ships more than doubled compared with the previous year (22).
However securing the safety of ammonia-designed ships through design, training and regulation will be crucial to adoption and reaching decarbonisation targets.
The International Maritime Organization’s GHG strategy aims to cut emissions by at least 20% by 2030, 70% b 2040 and reach Net Zero by 2050.
Use of zero and near-zero GHG emission technologies and fuels should account for 5% of energy used in shipping by 2030. Ammonia can reduce emissions of sulfur oxide and particulate matter and serve as a hydrogen carrier.
