Ro-ro carrier Höegh Autoliners has signed a letter of intent (LoI) to collaborate with Sumitomo to cooperate on the supply and delivery of clean ammonia as a sustainable maritime fuel for the shipping line’s upcoming Aurora-class PCTC vessels.
The two companies said they are “charting a greener course in deepsea transportation of ro-ro cargo, such as cars, high and heavy machinery and breakbulk, by forging an agreement to look into the supply of clean ammonia as a bunker fuel at the ports of Singapore and Jacksonville, USA from 2027 onwards”. The LoI hopes to stimulate the upscaling of the supply and demand of clean ammonia for maritime usage.
Both companies view clean ammonia as a promising future fuel for the maritime industry, offering substantial potential in addressing the challenges associated with greenhouse gas emissions in global shipping.
Moving forward, the companies will embark on a comprehensive evaluation of the compatibility between the PCTC vessels and the ammonia bunkering facilities at the identified bunker ports. They endeavour to make necessary adjustments to specifications for both “shore-to-ship” and “ship-to-ship” bunkering operations and undertake safety assessments to establish standardised operational protocols and regulations in close coordination with pertinent government agencies.
In compliance with requirements on carbon intensity from each auto-manufacturer, Sumitomo supplies various types of ammonia: green ammonia produced from renewable energy, blue ammonia with the CO2 from the production processes captured and permanently stored, and bio ammonia produced from renewable natural gas.
