Korea and China vie to lead ammonia-fueled shipping market

Korean and Chinese shipbuilders are locked in a battle of pride over ships that carry ammonia. Korea is highlighting the world’s largest ammonia “propulsion ship,” while China is rolling out an ammonia “carrier.” The situation signals fierce competition for the next-generation ship market.

According to the shipbuilding industry on the 3rd, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries said last month it built the “world’s largest” ammonia propulsion ship. It is an ultra-large ammonia propulsion ship with a 93,000 ㎥ cargo tank capacity ordered in 2023 by Singapore’s EPS (Eastern Pacific Shipping). An ammonia propulsion ship uses ammonia as engine fuel.

Earlier in June, Jiangnan Shipyard under China’s largest shipbuilding group, China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), delivered to EPS an ultra-large ammonia carrier (VLAC; Very Large Ammonia Carrier) with the same cargo tank capacity as HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and described it as the “world’s largest” VLAC.

Both ships carry ammonia, an eco-friendly fuel, but their propulsion systems differ. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries uses ammonia and bunker fuel as ship fuel, while Jiangnan Shipyard’s vessel uses liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and bunker fuel. The view is that HD Hyundai Heavy Industries used the expression “world’s largest” ammonia propulsion ship to emphasize its differentiation in both carrying ammonia (carrier) and using it as propulsion fuel (propulsion ship).

This story was originally published by Hellenic Shipping News. Read the full story at Hellenic Shipping News →