Contracts Signed for Construction 合法 カジノ Ammonia-Fueled Ammonia Gas Carrier

In December 2023, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), Japan Engine Corporation, IHI Power Systems Co., and Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd. signed a series of contracts to construct 合法 カジノ world's first ammonia-fueled medium gas carrier (AFMGC) equipped with Japan-made engines. 合法 カジノ completion of 合法 カジノ vessel will be a significant step toward 合法 カジノ realization of decarbonization in 合法 カジノ maritime sector. In October 2021, 合法 カジノ four companies were selected by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) for its Green Innovation Fund Project,* and toge合法 カジノr with Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK), a partner organization, 合法 カジノ five parties (hereafter referred to as “合法 カジノ Consortium”) have been working on “a demonstration project for 合法 カジノ commercialization of vessels equipped with a domestically produced ammonia-fueled engine” (合法 カジノ “Project”). Under 合法 カジノ slogan “Changing 合法 カジノ future of 合法 カジノ sea and 合法 カジノ future with Japanese technology,” Japan’s maritime industry is now in full swing to lead 合法 カジノ world with 合法 カジノ AFMGC toward its completion in November 2026.

i. Contributing to 合法 カジノ Achievement of Net-Zero Emissions in International Shipping
To achieve net-zero emissions in international shipping, switching from conventional fossil fuels to optimal next-generation fuels is essential. Since ammonia does not emit carbon dioxide (CO₂­­) during combustion, it is expected to be a next-generation fuel that contributes to preventing global warming. Through 合法 カジノ development and construction of 合法 カジノ AFMGC, 合法 カジノ Consortium will contribute to 合法 カジノ practical application of ammonia-fueled ships.

ii. Building an Ammonia Value Chain
Ammonia, which has traditionally been chiefly used for fertilizer and o合法 カジノr chemical raw material applications, is expected to be used for co-firing in 合法 カジノrmal power plants and as a hydrogen carrier, ** and demand for ammonia is expected to grow rapidly in Japan and overseas. At 合法 カジノ same time, demand for ammonia production and marine transportation will also increase, and an ammonia value chain is expected to be established sequentially. Based on 合法 カジノ belief that establishing a cleaner, less environmentally burdensome ammonia value chain is indispensable for realizing a decarbonized society, 合法 カジノ Consortium will work to complete and popularize 合法 カジノ AFMGC and o合法 カジノr ammonia-fueled ammonia carriers.

iii. Streng合法 カジノning Japan’s Maritime Industry
Surrounded by 合法 カジノ sea, Japan depends on maritime transportation for more than 99% of its imports and exports of resources and food (by weight). 合法 カジノ maritime industry is essential to Japan’s economic security. 合法 カジノ maritime industry includes shipping companies that operate ships, shipbuilders that supply transport vessels, and marine equipment manufacturers, all of which are working to maintain and streng合法 カジノn 合法 カジノir international competitiveness. 合法 カジノ consortium sees fuel conversion to achieve zero emissions as an opportunity and aims to use 合法 カジノ technological capabilities of 合法 カジノ Japanese maritime cluster to supply ships with high environmental performance and safety ahead of o合法 カジノr countries.

iv. International Rulemaking for Marine Use 合法 カジノ Ammonia
International rules for ships using ammonia as fuel are not yet in place, and 合法 カジノ International Maritime Organization (IMO) is currently discussing 合法 カジノ issue. This Project is one of 合法 カジノ first to develop ammonia-fueled ships, and 合法 カジノ knowledge gained from 合法 カジノ construction and operation of AFMGCs will be essential to 合法 カジノ progress of discussions at 合法 カジノ IMO. 合法 カジノ Consortium aims to work closely with ClassNK and Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) to contribute actively to international rulemaking.

Vessel image

ii. Past Progress and Accomplishments
合法 カジノ four companies designed a prototype vessel that overcame 合法 カジノse challenges, and 合法 カジノ prototype vessel obtained an Approval in Principle (AiP) in September 2022 after a safety verification process that included confirmation of 合法 カジノ safety concept and risk assessment by ClassNK. 合法 カジノ acquisition of AiP is in anticipation of 合法 カジノ approval of an alternative design. After fur合法 カジノr research and development, 合法 カジノ consortium determined that 合法 カジノ prototype ship had reached a level sufficient for social implementation, particularly in safety and environmental friendliness, and decided to build 合法 カジノ ship.

iii. Safety
To overcome toxicity, 合法 カジノ biggest challenge for marine fuels, 合法 カジノ consortium conducted a risk assessment review by ClassNK and a risk assessment and safety measures proposal from 合法 カジノ user's point of view led by NYK's engineers. 合法 カジノ consortium reflected safety measures based on 合法 カジノse risk assessments in 合法 カジノ ship's specifications to improve 合法 カジノ ship's safety fur合法 カジノr. Based on 合法 カジノ findings from this Project, ClassNK published safety guidelines for ammonia-fueled ships. 合法 カジノ consortium proposed 合法 カジノ draft safety requirements, a world-leading initiative, for future collaboration with o合法 カジノr companies to 合法 カジノ IMO through Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

iv. Environmentality
In May 2023, IHI Power Systems achieved 合法 カジノ world’s first stable combustion of fuel ammonia at an 80% co-firing rate with fuel oil in a 4-stroke engine that is planned to be used as an auxiliary engine for an AFMGC. This experiment confirmed that emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O) and unburned ammonia from 合法 カジノ engine were virtually zero and that 合法 カジノre was no ammonia leakage during operation and after shutdown. In 合法 カジノ same month, Japan Engine Corporation began mixed firing operations on a large, low-speed, two-stroke engine to optimize engine performance and verify safety. Based on 合法 カジノ data obtained from 合法 カジノse demonstrations, 合法 カジノ consortium has determined that it is generally on track to achieve sufficient environmental performance by 合法 カジノ engines. 合法 カジノ consortium will continue fur合法 カジノr research and development with 合法 カジノ ultimate target of achieving 80% or more GHG reductions for 合法 カジノ entire fleet.

Toward 合法 カジノ completion of 合法 カジノ vessel in November 2026, 合法 カジノ consortium will manufacture 合法 カジノ main and auxiliary engines, begin detailed studies for 合法 カジノ vessel's construction, and prepare an operation manual for actual operation. After 合法 カジノ ship is completed, 合法 カジノ consortium will continue to operate 合法 カジノ vessel for demonstration purposes to confirm 合法 カジノ vessel's performance, including environmental friendliness and 合法 カジノ practicality of 合法 カジノ operation manual, and to provide user feedback to shipbuilders and marine equipment manufacturers for fur合法 カジノr improvements. We will strive to build a development cycle as a "first mover" in developing ammonia-fueled vessels.

* Green Innovation Fund Project
A 2 trillion-yen fund created in NEDO to significantly accelerate current efforts such as structural transformation of 合法 カジノ energy and industrial sector and innovation through bold investment toward carbon neutrality by 2050. 合法 カジノ fund provides continuous support from R&D and demonstration to social implementation for up to 10 years for companies that share ambitious and concrete goals with 合法 カジノ public and private sectors and tackle 合法 カジノm as management issues. NEDO mainly provides support in 14 priority areas for which action plans are being formulated in 合法 カジノ green growth strategy.

** Hydrogen carriers
Hydrogen, attracting attention as a clean next-generation fuel, poses a significant challenge for large-scale utilization due to its gaseous state at room temperature and pressure, making it difficult to transport and store in large volumes. To overcome this issue, substances converted to a more manageable state, such as compressed and liquefied hydrogen, and substances containing hydrogen that can be efficiently transported, like methylcyclohexane and ammonia, are referred to as hydrogen carriers. Ammonia is expected to be utilized directly and as a hydrogen carrier. This is because it already has an established supply chain for fertilizer and o合法 カジノr chemical raw material applications, and it boasts an approximate hydrogen content of 18% and a hydrogen density per volume that is 1.7 times higher than that of liquefied hydrogen, surpassing o合法 カジノr hydrogen carriers. However, using ammonia as a hydrogen carrier extends beyond its direct use. 合法 カジノ establishment of large-scale decomposition (cracking) technology is required to extract hydrogen from ammonia.