Weihai COSCO Technology gets nod for its ammonia fuel supply prototype

COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry Technology (Weihai) has won test approval clearance for the company’s ammonia fuel supply system prototype.

The marine product test approval was awarded by the China Classification Society (CCS) Qingdao Branch after the system successfully cleared its acceptance test. The accomplishment means the system is viable for maritime deployment.

Amid the intensifying global drive to curtail carbon emissions in the shipping industry, ammonia has emerged as a frontrunner in the quest for sustainable propulsion solutions. Renowned for its carbon-neutral potential, ammonia is capturing attention as a promising maritime decarbonization tool. However, the journey toward ammonia utilization on ships has been fraught with challenges, primarily due to its toxicity to humans and its corrosive nature towards materials.

The achievement directly addresses the concerns posed by ammonia’s innate characteristics, demonstrating a formidable stride in the research and development of ammonia as a viable maritime fuel source.

The involvement of CCS’s Qingdao Branch in the project dates back to the nascent stages of the ammonia fuel supply system’s design conceptualization.

A pivotal moment arrived on September 29, 2022, when the branch issued an approval in principle for the nascent system.

Throughout the subsequent stages of the system’s construction, CCS remained actively engaged, closely monitoring project progress and offering indispensable technical support.

CCS’s Qingdao Branch provided invaluable insights that facilitated the smooth passage of the acceptance test.