HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (329180.KS) has become the first company in the world to successfully build ammonia-powered vessels.
The shipbuilder announced Wednesday that it held a naming ceremony at its Ulsan shipyard for two 46,000-cubic-meter mid-sized gas carriers equipped with dual-fuel (DF) engines.
The vessels are the first and second of four ammonia-powered mid-sized gas carriers ordered by Exmar LPG France, a subsidiary of Belgian shipping company Exmar, in 2023 and 2024. They were named "Antwerpen" and "Arlon" after Belgian cities. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries plans to deliver the ships to the owner in late May and July after completing finishing work.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries installed three cargo tanks designed and manufactured with its proprietary technology, enabling stable transportation of liquefied gas cargo including ammonia and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The vessels also feature shaft generators that produce electricity using the rotation of the propulsion engine shaft, as well as nitrogen oxide reduction devices to enhance environmental performance.
The ships are equipped with unique disaster prevention technologies and systems, including detection devices that monitor ammonia leaks in real time and emission recovery systems.
Ammonia, a carbon-free eco-friendly fuel, can be stored in pressurized or low-temperature tanks without cryogenic technology. When liquefied, it has 1.7 times higher storage density than liquid hydrogen at the same volume, making it suitable for large-scale, long-distance hydrogen transportation and storage. The International Energy Agency's (IEA) 2050 carbon neutrality roadmap projects that the share of ammonia fuel in the shipping industry will increase from 8% in 2030 to 46% in 2050.
"We are very proud to have built the world's first ammonia-powered ships, which require highly advanced technology," said Joo Won-ho, CEO of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' Naval and Special Ship Business Unit. "We will continue to solidify our leadership in the global eco-friendly ship market through continuous technological innovation."
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has secured orders for a total of eight ammonia-powered vessels from companies including Exmar and Trafigura. The company has been leading the next-generation eco-friendly fuel ship market, having delivered the world's first methanol-powered petrochemical carrier (PC) in 2016 and the world's first methanol-powered container ship in 2023.