The first newly built dual-fuel ammonia-fueled vessel, Antwerpen, has been officially delivered and went into service today, June 10, for the French division of Exmar. The pioneering ship is the first of a coming wave of deliveries and is seen as a critical step to accelerate the adoption of ammonia as a marine fuel across the wider shipping industry.
Exmar, along with HD Hyundai, heralded the delivery of the vessel, the first of three due this year for Exmar, with a fourth to follow in early 2027. The ships have a total capacity of 46,000 cbm of ammonia, and they are pioneers as the first ammonia gas carriers also capable of using it as a fuel.
The project has been in the works for four years and has pioneered many phases. Exmar points out that it worked closely with the Belgian administration and Lloyd’s Register in establishing the international framework and regulations to allow ammonia’s use as a marine fuel on a gas carrier. While it follows the model of LNG and LPG carriers, regulations did not permit the use of toxic cargoes such as ammonia to be used as a fuel on gas carriers.
