Class Societies ABS and DNV Advance Plans for Ammonia-Cracking Bulker

An innovative project to develop a shipboard ammonia-cracking technology took a key step forward toward the vision of building a zero-emission dry bulk carrier for the copper industry. Class societies ABS and DNV working with Norway-based Pherousa Shipping and technology company Metacon have issued design Approval in Principle reporting they found “no show stopper conditions” to employing the innovative technology.

Ammonia continues to draw interest with systems in development but so far it has required carbon fuel primers to start ignition and presents the challenges of lower energy density versus traditional fuels. Hydrogen similarly shows potential as a power source but so far has been limited to small near-shore support vessels and inland shipping.

“The Approval in Principle from two of the leading classification societies and certification bodies, ABS and DNV, marks another important milestone for us in the development of zero-emission solutions for the maritime industry,” said Hans Bredrup, Chairman of Pherousa. “By granting Pherousa these AiPs, both ABS and DNV clearly state that there are no showstoppers of the Pherousa technology for marine application.”

Pherousa’s concept working with an exclusive license agreement from Metacon for the application of the technology onboard ships focuses on developing ammonia cracking, the release of hydrogen energy from ammonia as a carrier, at scale to power larger vessels. The ammonia cracking technology would be used with PEM Fuel Cells and a Fuel Gas Supply System generating a fully electrical propulsion plant.

“Ammonia cracking combined with a PEM Fuel Cell has no need for pilot fuel or other fossil sources,” explains Morten Løvstad, VP and Global Business Director for Bulk Carriers at DNV. He called it, “an innovative solution for maritime application towards full decarbonization.”

Pherousa reports that Ammonia Cracking can be applied to a variety of developed technologies, such as supplying Hydrogen to PEM Fuel Cells, replacing conventional fuels with Hydrogen as pilot fuel on Ammonia fueled Internal Combustion Engines, or supplying Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines. It could also be used for supplying Hydrogen to Auxiliary Engines to reduce emissions. According to the company, any of the four alternatives can be fitted onboard any type of vessel and with an engine power of up to 15-20 MW.

“The efficiency of ammonia cracking will play a decisive factor in its ability to contribute to decarbonization of the industry,” predicts Stergios Stamopoulos, Director, Global Sustainability for
American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).

Pherousa and Metacon report that have conducted thorough research and tests to develop the Ammonia Cracking technology concept. The companies have delivered a working prototype that demonstrated the practical potential of this approach.

The Pherousa subsidiary, Pherousa Shipping, reports it has worked closely with two major copper miners during the design process of an Ultramax 64.000 dwt vessel, to find the optimal layout for emission-free transportation of copper concentrates between its origin and the smelters. The vessels are intended to be on water in parallel with the new IMO regulative that comes into force in 2030.

They are focusing on the copper industry because the commodity is essential for emerging markets linked to decarbonization. They believe end-users of copper utilized for solar panels or electric cars will seek to build a carbon-free supply chain including shipping.

Having achieved the design reviews from ABS and DNV, Pherousa reports it is now transitioning from concept to scale-up and market entry. It looks to deploy its innovative solution on a global scale.