Svanehøj secures fuel pump order for ammonia-fueled bulker octet

August 16, 2024, by Fatima Bahtić

Danish liquified gas equipment specialist Svanehøj has been awarded a contract to supply 32 deepwell fuel pumps for a new series of ammonia dual-fuel bulk carriers.

As a subcontractor to the supplier SunRui Marine Environment Engineering, Svanehøj will provide four deepwell (DW) NH3 fuel pumps for each of the first eight vessels in the series, totaling 32 fuel pumps with the first delivered in Q4 2024.

A new series of 210,000 DWT ammonia-fueled bulk carriers will be built at CSSC Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding (QBS) in China.

Svanehøj’s deepwell design presented some significant advantages. As deepwell pumps are long-shafted (in this case, 13 meters long), all electrical components are placed outside the tank, ensuring easy access during service, and preventing excessive heat from the motor to increase boil off gas and pressure inside the tank.

Specifically, the Svanehøj pumps are designed with a hermetically sealed MagDrive coupling, which completely separates the gas in the tank system from the surroundings.

For this project, the pumps will be installed in caisson pipes with a patented retraction system, to enable pumps to be extracted for repair, even with liquid gas in the fuel tank.

The deal marks a significant step in making ammonia technology a commercially available option for long-distance shipping, as the global fleet prepares to adopt green fuels to meet long-term decarbonization targets.

“Being among the world’s first ammonia-fueled bulk carriers, this project is crucial to our ambition to support the zero-carbon transition. The contract results from a rewarding process in which we have configured the optimal fuel pump solution for this new ship design. We are privileged to contribute our expertise and experience to such a pioneering project, which will set a benchmark for the future use of green ammonia in shipping,” said Johnny Houmann, Chief Sales Officer at Svanehøj.

Amidst a shifting landscape in the quest for carbon neutrality, shipowners worldwide are now gearing up to embrace the anticipated demand growth for ammonia.

Svanehøj has been selected to supply fuel pumps for eight multifueled pure car truck carriers (PCTCs).

The eight new PCTCs will be constructed at China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu). Each vessel will have the capacity to transport more than 9,000 units. They will be prepared to operate on LNG, ammonia, and methanol.