The design for a short-sea bulker powered by ammonia has received preliminary approval from classification society Bureau Veritas, meaning these ships could be on the water as soon as 2025. Bureau Veritas has awarded its approval in principle to the design from Viridis Bulk Carriers, the dry bulk firm said in an emailed statement on Monday. The company plans to make its first order of the vessels later this year, with deliveries from 2025.
The vessels have a similar sailing range as the current fleet of short-sea bulk vessels, at more than 3,000 nautical miles.
Viridis is a member of a consortium of firms seeking to develop an ammonia bunkering network in Scandinavia in conjunction with Yara. The first ammonia bunkering terminal as part of that project will be delivered in 2024, and Yara has pre-ordered an additional 15 terminals for the Scandinavian market.