Lloyd's Register (LR) has awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) to Seaspan Corporation for its innovative dual-fuel ammonia-powered next generation feeder ship design. The 3,100 TEU nominal vessel, measuring 198m in length and developed by TECHNOLOG will burn ammonia in its two-stroke main propulsion engine.
The project expands on a previous AiP announced in May, for an LNG-powered vessel design of the same specifications and also designed by TECHNOLOG, that can transition to ammonia during its operational lifecycle.
Completion of the AiP process for the ammonia-powered feeder ship design underscores Seaspan's commitment across the containership fleet, in this case addressing the intrinsic need to provide highly efficient and emission-compliant feeders well-suited to a wide range of key trades. By collaborating with TECHNOLOG and LR, Seaspan has developed a solution to meet future market decarbonization demands which anticipates future challenges and opportunities in the maritime industry.
By completing the AiP process, Seaspan, TECHNOLOG and Lloyd's Register have laid the groundwork for future advancements in ammonia-powered feeder vessel technology in this rapidly evolving space.
Andy McKeran, Chief Commercial Officer at Lloyd's Register, said: "The AiP awarded for the ammonia-powered feeder ship design demonstrates the company’s very real commitment to emissions savings and future technologies. It also showcases the continued and long-standing partnership between LR and Seaspan. The work builds on the already innovative Next Generation feeder design developed by TECHNOLOG , showcasing the efficiencies associated with building a ship optimised for ammonia fuel.”
Peter Jackson, Senior Vice President of Assets and Technology at Seaspan Corporation, said: “In this second phase, we have focused on ammonia as a next-generation fuel, considering safety, arrangement, and bunkering. Although ammonia has advantages, it also has challenges that need to be overcome so we can operate ammonia dual-fuelled ships safely and economically. Once again, we have partnered with LR and TECHNOLOG on this project as we seek creative and viable solutions to decarbonize shipping.”
Dimitrios Panagopoulos, Vice President of Chartering and Business Development at Seaspan Corporation, said: At Seaspan we are excited to introduce one more innovative vessel design, developed in collaboration with TECHNOLOG and LR. This new vessel can burn ammonia, aligning with our commitment to sustainability while delivering unparalleled efficiency for our customers. By integrating cutting-edge technology with our customer-first approach, we ensure that our partners can meet the evolving demands of global shipping with a sustainable and reliable solution”.