ITOCHU announces newbuilding order for world’s first ammonia bunkering vessel

Japan's ITOCHU Corporation announces that it recently signed a shipbuilding contract for the construction of a 5,000 m3 ammonia bunkering vessel with Sasaki Shipbuilding and an agreement regarding the construction of an ammonia tank plant that will be loaded onto the vessel with Izumi Steel Works Ltd.

These Agreements were signed by Clean Ammonia Bunkering Shipping (CABS), a wholly owned Singapore-based specific purpose company of ITOCHU. They were concluded to pursue the Demonstration Project for Bunkering Ammonia as Marine Fuel in Singapore adopted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan as part of the Global South Future-oriented Co-Creation Project.

What is expected to be the world’s first newbuilding ammonia bunkering vessel will be flagged under the Singapore Registry and is scheduled for delivery in September 2027.

ITOCHU says it plans to establish a safe offshore bunkering operation of ammonia as marine fuel by way of ship-to-ship transfer through the development and construction of the vessel, later applying the similar business model to major maritime transportation points around the world, including Spain (Strait of Gibraltar), Egypt (Suez Canal) and Japan.