RINA, SDARI to jointly develop methanol/ammonia-fuelled tanker design

Classification society RINA and the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI) have signed a joint development project (JDP) agreement to develop a ship design capable of being fuelled by either ammonia or methanol.

Within the agreement, SDARI will focus on the ship concept development and design while RINA will verify the compliance with the applicable rules, including those for the use of alternative fuels.

As explained, the selected ship type is a tanker but the project, which is the first to investigate using both methanol and ammonia in this type of vessel, will increase understanding of the application of both fuels within the shipping industry with opportunities to apply designs to different types of ships.

External support to the project will be provided by German engine manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions.

“Ship designs have come a long way in their efficiency, but to meet targets for reduced emissions we need to look to alternative fuels. A ship specifically designed and optimized for using ammonia and methanol as fuels offers a future proof, environmentally sustainable solution,” Giosuè Vezzuto, Executive Vice President Marine at RINA, commented.

“We … believe this project will benefit the whole shipping industry, releasing the potential of both ammonia and methanol.”

“We are pleased to be working with RINA on our common goals to provide increasingly reliable design solutions to meet the emissions targets set by IMO for 2030 and 2050,” Wang Gang Yi, Vice President of SDARI, said.

“While two-stroke engine technology will likely retain its influence within deep-sea shipping for the foreseeable future, ammonia and methanol are fuels with a lot of potential as clean, zero-carbon fuels… We look forward to adding our expertise to the project,” Brian Østergaard Sørensen, Vice President and Head of R&D, Two-Stroke Business at MAN Energy Solutions Copenhagen, noted.