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Singapore: MPA and Yara Intl in Ammonia-fuelled tanker Joint Development Project

Addition of MPA and Yara means the alliance, first unveiled in January 2020, now has a complete representation from all areas of the maritime ecosystem.

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The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Wednesday (24 February) said it has joined the Ammonia-fuelled tanker Joint Development Project (JDP) whose partners include MISC Berhad (MISC), Lloyd’s Register (LR), Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and MAN Energy Solutions (MAN).

The membership was announced at a recent webinar focused on Ammonia as a Shipping Fuel which was organized by the Getting to Zero Coalition’s Fuels & Technologies workstream. Alongside MPA, Yara International ASA (Yara) was also announced as a new partner of the consortium.

The JDP partners also went on to announce a name for the expanded coalition – The Castor Initiative.

Leading fertilizer company – Yara will work alongside MISC, LR, SHI and MAN to develop ammonia propulsion ships to support the maritime industry’s drive to decarbonisation.

In addition, the consortium will be able to tap onto MPA’s experience as a bunkering hub and flag state to gather insights on safety issues and ammonia bunkering procedures, and gain access to research capabilities in Singapore.

The addition of MPA and Yara means that the alliance, which was first unveiled in January 2020, now has a complete representation from all areas of the maritime ecosystem. The experience and expertise of each partner will be central to the success of the initiative, from conception to project realisation. 

This announcement follows a key project milestone in September 2020 when LR awarded Approval in Principle to SHI for its ammonia-fuelled tanker design with the aim of commercialising these developments by 2024.

To meet the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2050 ambitions on halving greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 2008 levels, zero-carbon vessels need to enter the world fleet by 2030. The JDP was motivated by the partners’ shared belief that the maritime industry needs leadership and greater collaboration if shipping is to meet the IMO’s GHG ambitions.

While ammonia is one of the fuels being considered by maritime stakeholders, the partners also recognise that the shipping industry will need to explore multiple decarbonisation pathways and hope their collaboration will spur others in the maritime industry to join forces in addressing this global challenge.

“Decarbonisation remains a key priority for the maritime sector, not just in Singapore but globally. As a transshipment and bunkering hub, we are committed to meet IMO2030/2050 decarbonisation goals. We are also looking forward to collaborating with like-minded industry partners to support the development and trials of alternative future marine fuels such as ammonia,” said MPA Chief Executive, Quah Ley Hoon. 

“Supporting the enabling role of ammonia in the energy transition, we recognize the need for value chain collaboration to make zero emission shipping by using ammonia as a fuel a reality,” added Magnus Ankarstrand, EVP Clean Ammonia, Yara.

“We are honoured to have MPA and Yara join us as partners on this journey to develop deep sea zero carbon vessels. This JDP has come a long way since our inception in January 2020 and it now stands complete as Castor Initiative; with absolute collaboration and commitment from principal key stakeholders in the shipping industry,” said Yee Yang Chien , MISC President and Group CEO.

“Making deep-sea zero-carbon vessels a reality within this decade calls for leadership commitment and collaborative action.  Lloyd’s Register welcomes the expertise that the MPA and Yara will bring to the ammonia-fuelled tanker joint development project (JDP),” noted Nick Brown, LR Group CEO. 

“In the course of energy transition, joining this JDP towards developing zero-carbon vessels coincides with our endeavor to find sustainable growth momentum and fulfill our social responsibility for a clean environment,” added Jin Taek Jung, SHI President and CEO. 

“The long-term journey to realize zero-carbon and ultimately zero-emission vessels requires extensive cooperation of the stakeholders in the maritime industry. In light of this, participation of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and Yara raises our expectations for the outcome of this JDP by adding expertise and fostering an ecosystem of the JDP partners playing a key role in the fields encompassing ammonia supply to operating vessels.”

“We are looking forward to working with such distinguished industry partners on this joint development project that is so closely aligned with our own strategy to develop sustainable technologies. In this respect, ammonia is a very interesting candidate as a zero-carbon fuel,” said Brian Østergaard Sørensen – Vice President and Head of R&D, Two-Stroke Business – at MAN Energy Solutions.

“The right engine technology is key to decarbonisation and MAN Energy Solutions already has a convincing track-record in developing engines that run on alternative fuels. We look forward to adding our expertise to this study.”

Related: Lloyd’s Register grants AiP to Samsung Heavy Industries ammonia-fuelled tanker design
Related: Maritime industry players join forces on ammonia-fuelled tanker project


Photo credit: Global Maritime Forum
Published: 24 February, 2021

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LNG Bunkering

2026 ESG Report: Singapore-based EPS completes 530 LNG bunkering operations

EPS said from the start of recorded data to 31 Dec 2025, the company completed a total of 530 LNG bunkering operations with over 2.4 million m3 of LNG bunkered.

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2026 ESG Report: Singapore-based EPS completes 530 LNG bunkering operations

Singapore-headquartered shipping firm Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) on Monday (29 June) said from the start of recorded data to 31 Dec 2025, the company completed a total of 530 LNG bunkering operations with over 2.4 million cubic meters (m3) of LNG bunkered. 

In its 2026 ESG Report, the company said it continued advancing practical decarbonisation through its dual-fuel fleet expansion, alternative fuels, wind-assisted propulsion, and digital optimisation initiatives, alongside strengthened emissions reporting and third-party assurance.

With over 170 vessels designed to operate on alternative fuels, EPS said its fleet is among the largest dual-fuel fleets in the industry. In 2025, 25% of the fuel consumed by EPS fleet were alternative marine fuels, including LNG, LPG, ethane, and biofuels. 

In 2025, EPS also expanded its use of B100 biodiesel, a renewable fuel derived from sustainably sourced biomass such as used cooking oil, food waste, and agricultural residues, which offers increasing global availability and compatibility with existing marine engines while delivering substantial Well-to-Wake (WtW) emission reductions relative to conventional fossil fuels under certified supply chains. 

In 2025 alone, 94% of the biofuel the company  purchased were B100 grade. Cumulatively, from the start of recorded data to 31 Dec 2025, EPS has completed 61 biofuel bunkering operations with over 33,000 mt of biofuel.

The use of alternative fuels has lowered its emission by 464,610 mt of CO2e relative to conventional marine fuels, and it is equivalent to 9% of its entire Scope 1 emission.

The company added that its investments in wind-assisted propulsion systems, alternative fuels, digital optimisation and operational efficiency reinforced its long-term decarbonisation strategy. 

Since 2018, EPS has invested significantly in maritime decarbonisation, committing at scale to LNG as a transition fuel while progressively deploying a broad range of sustainable solutions across both legacy vessels and newbuild programmes, including ammonia-fuelled vessel orders.

As at the end of 2025, EPS had invested approximately USD 2.6 billion across 15 green projects, with over 51% of the fleet designed to operate on alternative fuels such as LNG, LPG, ethane and ammonia.

 

Photo credit: Eastern Pacific Shipping
Published: 30 June, 2026

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Alternative Fuels

Hitachi Zosen Marine Engine orders Mitsubishi Shipbuilding ammonia fuel handling system

MAmmoSS® will be designed and optimised to be compatible with the ammonia marine engines of Everllence SE and WinGD and will be used for shop tests of both engines after delivery to HZME’s facility.

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Hitachi Zosen Marine Engine orders Mitsubishi Shipbuilding ammonia fuel handling system

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, on Friday (26 June) said it has received an order from Hitachi Zosen Marine Engine (HZME) for its MAmmoSS® ammonia fuel handling system.

HZME is a dual licensee of Everllence SE and WinGD, major licensors of marine engines. MAmmoSS® will be designed and optimized to be compatible with the ammonia marine engines of these two licensors, and after delivery to HZME’s facility, will be used for shop tests of both engines.

The company said decarbonisation in global shipping is a critical issue, and ammonia, which does not emit CO2 when burned, is attracting attention as a next-generation marine fuel that will significantly contribute to reducing GHG emissions in the shipping industry. 

“However, as ammonia is a toxic fluid, safe handling technology onboard ships is essential and is expected to drive demand for MAmmoSS®,” it said. 

Going forward, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding said it will continue to provide safe and reliable products for ammonia-fuelled vessels to support the expected market expansion.

 

Photo credit: Mitsubishi Shipbuilding
Published: 30 June, 2026

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Port & Regulatory

US lawmakers reintroduce bill to develop clean shipping technology and infrastructure

Legislation would create a USD 1 billion per year programme to develop the next generation of clean shipping technology and infrastructure such as zero-emission ships and cleaner marine fuels.

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RESIZED william william on Unsplash

US Representatives Nanette Barragán and Troy A. Carter, Sr., along with Senator Chris Van Hollen, on Friday (26 June) reintroduced the Next Generation Shipping Act. 

The legislation would create a USD 1 billion per year programme through the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) to develop the next generation of clean shipping technology and infrastructure. 

The lawmakers said the bill would help to address harmful pollution that comes from the shipping industry, a major but often unrecognised source of greenhouse gas emissions and port pollution. 

Through the development and usage of new technologies— such as zero-emission ships, cleaner marine fuels, and better port equipment— the programme seeks to protect the health of port and coastal communities, and help the US reduce its climate pollution.

They added that the bill would also help the United States keep up with other countries in Europe and Asia that are already investing heavily in clean shipping technology. The bill would ensure that the U.S. leads in the future of shipping, rather than rely on technology from other countries.

“Shipping plays a vital role in our economy, and at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, but it should not come at the expense of the health of our families,” said Rep. Barragán. 

“The Next Generation Shipping Act is about investing in cleaner technologies, supporting American jobs, making sure the United States leads in the future of maritime innovation, all while making sure we do so in a way that preserves public health. By acting now, we can protect our communities, strengthen our economy, and build a more sustainable shipping industry for generations to come.”

“The Next Generation Shipping Act is forward-thinking legislation that will help revitalise the U.S. maritime industry and boost our economic competitiveness. As the federal government looks to expand commercial shipbuilding capacity, the U.S. must invest in cleaner ships and technologies to compete globally,” said Antonio Santos, Federal Climate Policy Director, Pacific Environment. 

“The bill provides much-needed funding to position the US to be a leader in the development of next-generation vessel technologies and sustainable maritime fuels, while creating good-paying jobs and supporting workforce training. We thank Representative Barragán, Representative Carter, and Senator Van Hollen for introducing this important legislation and call on Congress to pass this bill to spur the market for building the advanced ships of the future.”

 

Photo credit: william william on Unsplash
Published: 30 June, 2026

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