Maersk Tankers' Ammonia Power Tanker Retrofit Project Gets EU Funding

Maersk Tankers’ proposal to retrofit its Very Large Ammonia Carriers (VLACs) for ammonia power has been selected for funding by the EU Innovation Fund. The first-of-its-kind project, designed to adapt the large vessels to use ammonia as a marine fuel, is in keeping with the pioneering adoption steps by the industry for ammonia power.

The proposal submitted to the EU fund calls for retrofitting the ocean-going ships. Known as Ripple, the project envisions equipping the vessels with dual-fuel ammonia two-stroke engines as the first retrofit of its kind in the EU for a VLAC. Maersk Tankers reports the project will demonstrate the commercial viability of ammonia-fueled operations.

The company proposed retrofitting four of its VLACs, saying that by running on the fuel, the retrofitted carriers would avoid over 1.2 metric tonnes of CO2e in 10 years.

The EU Innovation Fund selected the Ripple Project as part of 77 additional projects designated for funding. The latest round for the fund was launched in December 2025, and according to the European Commission, it will entail €3.4 billion for investments. They noted it would reinvest the revenues from the EU Emissions Trading System into innovative decarbonization technologies.

This story was originally published by The Maritime Executive. Read the full story at The Maritime Executive →