Singapore-based dry bulk owner Berge Bulk has on February 29 placed an order for two ammonia dual fuel vessels from Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Heavy Industry in China.
The two 210,000-dwt newcastlemax vessels will meet the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Tier III NOx (nitrogen oxides) standards and energy efficiency design index (EEDI) phase 3 compliance for greenhouse gas emissions and be powered by ammonia.
Berge Bulk mentions it has set an ambitious decarbonisation timeline which consists of three key milestones: to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025 and zero emissions fleetwide by 2050, and to build and operate a zero-emissions vessel by 2030.
To meet this timeline, Berge Bulk informs that it has developed the four-pillar “Marshall Plan”. The plan focuses on improving fleet efficiency; leveraging the latest maritime technology; converting to new fuels; and capturing the remaining carbon directly or indirectly.
The move toward new fuels complements Berge Bulk’s many other decarbonisation efforts and projects, including a comprehensive programme of energy efficiency retrofits, innovative pilots for new wind technology, and a commitment to plant 25 million trees in the coming years, as the company informs.
James Marshall, chief executive and founder of Berge Bulk, said that “The use of ammonia fuel represents an important milestone in our commitment to operate a zero emissions vessel by 2030 and an essential pillar in our plan to decarbonise. We continue to take urgent action in all four areas of our strategy to effectively reduce our current emissions and achieve carbon neutrality by 2025.”
Paolo Tonon, chief technical officer of Berge Bulk, noted that “Ammonia is a promising zero-carbon fuel for the future of the shipping industry. Berge Bulk has been actively engaged in discussions with key players in the ammonia supply chain. We are encouraged by the steady progress being made with the development of ammonia engines and the logistics of ammonia bunkering. This evolving landscape has given us the confidence to order these two dual fuel ammonia vessels.”
Source: Berge Bulk Limited
