Geneva-based Yara Clean Ammonia Switzerland SA (Yara Clean Ammonia), a subsidiary of ammonia distributor Yara International ASA (Yara), sealed a time-charter deal with Japan’s Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) for an ammonia-fuelled medium gas carrier (AFMGC).
Described by NYK as the world’s first time-charter agreement for ammonia-fuelled medium gas carrier, the deal will see a 40,000m³ newbuild, Japan-flagged, with a 180.00 m overall length, being delivered in November 2026.
The use of an AFMGC will greatly contribute to significantly reducing GHG emissions from marine transportation and developing an ammonia supply chain, the companies said in a joint statement.
Both partners, Yara Clean Ammonia and NYK, have jointly studied the practical application of an ammonia-fuelled ammonia gas carrier since 2021.
“We have been developing an ammonia-fuelled vessel because we believe that using alternative fuels, especially ammonia, is essential to reaching the net-zero goal,” said Hironobu Watanabe, managing executive officer in NYK.
Murali Srinivasan, senior vice president commercial, Yara Clean Ammonia noted: “Our successful collaboration with NYK enables us not only to comply with future regulations related to CO₂ emissions from sea-going vessels but also helps us to ensure that our customers can receive carbon-intensity compliant clean ammonia throughout our supply chain from well to wake.”
Photo credit: NYK / Front Left: Hans Olav Raen, CEO, Yara Clean Ammonia, Back Left: Murali Srinivasan, Senior Vice President, Yara Clean Ammonia, Front Right: Takaya Soga, President, NYK, Back Right: Tsutomu Yokoyama, Executive Officer, NYK.
