ABS approves ammonia

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) for its new ammonia-based ship HVAC refrigeration system.

Developed in response to shipowners’ request for refrigeration of HVAC systems using ammonia, Hyundai’s system offers a more eco-friendly solution with zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and a Global Warming Potential of zero, as per the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.

Panos Koutsourakis, ABS’ Vice-President of Global Sustainability, described the refrigeration system as an “exciting development” for the maritime industry’s decarbonisation quest to find sustainable solutions.

He continued, “ABS has always been a safety pioneer, so we are well placed to tackle the challenges on board and ashore presented by ammonia’s toxicity and flammability. ABS is committed to leading the industry in supporting ammonia’s safe adoption at sea.”

ABS used its marine vessel rules to conduct technical suitability reviews of the designs, materials, fire and personnel safety equipment, piping, electrical, operations tests and risk assessments.

Hwan-Sik Lee, Head of the Ship Design Office at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, said the company will continue to make efforts to realise maritime carbon neutrality.

In support of a decarbonised sector, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) wants to reach Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping close to 2050, a commitment to ensure an uptake of alternative zero and near-zero greenhouse gas fuels by 2030.

e-methanol, SAF and PtL: The future of CO2 utilisation

The route to decarbonisation and the energy transition has sometimes been described as defossilisation. Liquid fuels are incredibly useful energy vectors due to their high energy density and ease of handling. Gasoline, diesel, aviation kerosene and heavy fuel oil have become the fuels of choice for cars, trucks, planes, and shipping.

The challenge is to substitute these refined products that are derived from crude oil with sustainable, convenient and cost-effective alternatives.

Liquid fuels of a non-fossil origin are one such solution. Methanol and e-methanol are seen as viable alternatives for fuelling trucks, buses and marine applications, for example.

e-methanol burns with almost no particulate emissions and, since it contains no sulfur, the emissions are free of sulfur dioxide. The use of e-methanol for road and maritime applications would reduce pollutant gas emissions. Methanol, like diesel and heavy fuel oil, does produce CO2 emissions during combustion. However, since e-methanol is made from captured CO2 the emissions are carbon neutral: e-methanol is not a fossil fuel…

If you’re a gasworld subscriber, continue reading all about e-methanol, synthetic aviation fuel (SAF), hydrogen, electrolysis and CCUS in this exclusive feature, here:

https://www.gasworld.com/story/e-methanol-saf-and-ptl-the-future-of-co2-utilisation/2121108.article/