Trafigura orders four dual-fuel ammonia-powered vessels

Commodities company Trafigura has signed a contract for four medium gas carriers (MGC) that will be capable of using low-carbon ammonia as a propulsion fuel when delivered. The vessels will be built at HD Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Ulsan, South Korea.

Ammonia-powered medium gas carriers

The vessels will carry LPG or ammonia and the first ship will be delivered in 2027. Each vessel will be equipped with a dual-fuel low-carbon ammonia engine, supporting Trafigura’s commitment to reduce the carbon intensity of its own shipping fleet by 25% by 2030.

Andrea Olivi, head of wet freight for Trafigura, said, “We are excited to embark together with HD Hyundai Mipo on this ambitious project which supports our commitments to decarbonizing shipping and will help us to develop the global low-carbon ammonia bunkering infrastructure needed for zero-carbon shipping to become a reality.”

Decarbonizing shipping

This initiative forms part of the company’s goal to develop the low-carbon fuels and vessels required to decarbonize global shipping. The company is also investing in wider efficiency measures such as silicone hull coating, wake equalizing ducts, ultrasonic propeller antifouling technology, and continuous underwater hull cleaning and propeller polishing.

Trafigura is a founding member of the Sea Cargo Charter, an industry coalition established to collect, assess and report shipping emissions; a key member of the Global Maritime Forum’s Getting to Zero coalition; and a founding member of the First Movers Coalition.

In related news, a memorandum of understanding was recently signed between MOL Chemical Tankers (MOLCT) and commodity trading company Trafigura and its vessel fuel supply joint-venture company TFG Marine to conduct a joint study on the full-scale supply of biodiesel fuel (BDF) for MOLCT-operated vessels in bunkering ports globally. Click here to read the full story.