The ammonia-fueled gas carrier Antwerpen was officially delivered June 10 and has entered service for Exmar, marking a major milestone in maritime decarbonization. The vessel is the world’s first new ship capable of both transporting ammonia as cargo and using it as fuel. It is the first of four sister vessels being built by HD Hyundai, with three scheduled for delivery by the end of 2026 and a fourth in early 2027.
The project took four years to develop and involved close cooperation between Exmar, HD Hyundai, WinGD, Nord Gas Solutions, Lloyd’s Register, and regulatory authorities. Together, they helped create the regulatory framework needed to allow ammonia toxic cargo to be used safely as a marine fuel.
The 190-meter-long, 27,000-dwt vessel can carry approximately 46,000 m³ of ammonia. Its dual-fuel engine uses high-pressure ammonia injections with only about 5% pilot fuel at full load, delivering performance comparable to conventional diesel engines.
Ammonia is considered a promising low-carbon marine fuel because it can be stored and transported more easily than liquid hydrogen while serving as an efficient hydrogen carrier. Exmar and HD Hyundai estimate that ammonia-fueled operation could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% compared with conventional vessels.
Exmar expects the operational experience gained from Antwerpen and its sister ships to accelerate the wider adoption of ammonia as a marine fuel across the shipping industry. According to DNV, only a handful of ammonia-capable vessels are currently in operation, but 47 ammonia-fueled ships are on order for delivery by 2030, highlighting growing industry interest in technology. PSR
Natasa Mulahalilovic is Marine Pleasure Boat Analyst-Europe for Power Systems Research
