Exmar Takes Delivery of Second Ammonia Dual-Fuel Gas Carrier from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries
Key Takeaways
- •Exmar has taken delivery of the 46,000 m³ ammonia dual-fuel vessel Arlon from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, with ownership assigned to Exmar France.
- •Arlon is the sister ship of Antwerpen, the world's first oceangoing ammonia-capable vessel, which completed its first commercial ammonia-fueled voyage from China to India in July.
- •The vessel is the second in a planned series of four ammonia-fuelled carriers intended for Exmar's fleet.
- •Exmar reports that Arlon reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional ships, exceeding current IMO emissions reduction targets.
- •Ammonia is emerging as a leading candidate for decarbonizing deep-sea shipping, but its toxicity and the lack of bunkering infrastructure remain significant hurdles for widespread adoption.
Maritime transportation firm Exmar has taken delivery of its second ammonia dual-fuel midsize gas carrier from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea.
The 46,000 m³ vessel, named Arlon, will be owned by Exmar France, the company announced in a LinkedIn post on Thursday.
Arlon is the sister ship of Antwerpen, which Exmar took delivery of earlier this year as the world's first oceangoing vessel capable of running on ammonia. Earlier in July, Ship & Bunker reported that Antwerpen had completed its first commercial voyage using ammonia fuel, sailing from China to India.
Exmar stated that Arlon "meets and exceeds current IMO emissions reduction targets, reducing greenhouse gases by up to 90% compared to conventional ships." The International Maritime Organization adopted a revised greenhouse gas strategy in 2023 that calls for reaching net-zero emissions from international shipping by or around 2050, with interim targets of cutting emissions by 20–30% by 2030 and 70–80% by 2040 compared to 2008 levels.
The new vessel is the second in a series of four ammonia-fuelled ships planned for the fleet.
With ammonia engines now becoming commercially available and shipowners beginning to order such vessels, the maritime industry is gradually moving to embrace ammonia as a marine fuel. Because ammonia contains no carbon, its combustion does not produce CO₂, positioning it as one of the leading candidates among alternative fuels for decarbonizing deep-sea shipping alongside methanol and hydrogen. However, significant work remains to develop bunkering infrastructure, as ammonia is toxic and requires strict safety precautions during handling and storage.