Bureau Veritas (BV) has granted its Approval in Principle (AiP) for a revolutionary ammonia (NH3) bunker vessel conceptualized by Sasaki Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (Sasaki). The official announcement was made on January 31, 2024, marking a significant milestone in maritime innovation.
This groundbreaking vessel design stems from a collaborative effort between Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), Ltd., BV, and Sasaki, arising from their shared exploration of ammonia bunkering possibilities since 2022. Leveraging their expertise and insights, the trio laid the groundwork for this AiP, demonstrating a firm commitment to advancing sustainable shipping solutions.
Sasaki Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., in response to an invitation from MOL, undertook the task of designing a cutting-edge NH3 bunker vessel with a capacity of 12,000 cubic meters. The design adheres meticulously to BV’s rigorous standards and regulations, particularly referencing the NR 620 Rules for bunkering ships and NR 467 Rules for the classification of steel ships. Furthermore, the vessel has been deemed eligible for BV’s esteemed CLEANSHIP and GREENPASSPORT additional class notations, affirming its environmentally conscious features.
The official bestowment of the AiP took place at the headquarters of MOL in Tokyo, where key stakeholders gathered for a ceremonial handover. Matthieu de Tugny, Executive Vice-President of BV Marine & Offshore, and Alex Gregg-Smith, Senior Vice President & Chief Executive of BV Marine & Offshore North Asia and China, presented the AiP to Mr. Makoto Yamaguchi, Chief Technical Officer of MOL, and Mr. Jiro Sasaki, Chief Operating Officer of Sasaki. This event symbolizes a significant step forward in realizing the vision of sustainable shipping practices, as envisioned by the collaborative efforts of these leading entities in the maritime industry.
“Bureau Veritas has a long history of helping the maritime industry prepare and adopt new fuel technology. Since the 1960s, we have been pioneers in LNG, and we are now supporting progress in new fuels to decarbonize shipping. MOL and Sasaki’s partnership on this project is an excellent illustration of how collaboration will drive this progress, and prepare the fleet for the challenges of the energy transition.” Said Matthieu De Tugny, Executive Vice-President, Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore.
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Source Bureau Veritas