On November 9, CSSC Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Co., Ltd, together with China Shipbuilding Industry Trading Co., Ltd, and Singapore Eastern Pacific Shipping Pte. held a signing ceremony for the construction contract of 3 x 210,000-ton Ammonia DF/DF Ready bulk carriers and the letter of intent for 4 x 210,000-ton Ammonia DF/DF Ready bulk carriers.
It is reported that the newly signed 3 vessels construction contract and 4 vessels letter of intention are the same type of follow-up vessels of the 3 x 210,000 tons Ammonia DF/DF Ready bulk carrier project which was contracted and entered into force in September this year. So far, both parties have signed contracts and letters of intention for up to 10 vessels.
This series of vessels are designed by CSDC, a design company under Beihai Shipbuilding. With an overall length of 300.00 meters, a beam of 50.00 meters, a depth of 25.20 meters, a structural draught of 18.40 meters and a speed of 14.0 knots, the ship can meet the requirements of Phase III of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI). Meanwhile, the ship meets the preset requirements for ammonia fuel, and the ship will be equipped with an ammonia-fueled main engine and two 3,000 cubic meter ammonia-fueled C-tanks in later stages, which ensures that “zero carbon” operation will be achieved by using ammonia fuel for the whole life cycle of the ship in the future.
The option order coming into effect is said to confirm East Pacific Shipping’s confidence in the viability of ammonia bunkering. Meanwhile, East Pacific Shipping is gradually expanding its fleet of very large liquid ammonia carriers (VLAC). In addition to cooperating with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries to develop ammonia dual-fuel carriers, the shipowner is also working with Jiangnan Shipbuilding, Lloyd’s Register (LR), and main engineers to formulate an “Action Plan for the Application of Ammonia-Fueled Power System on New Shipbuilding MOU”.
During the Gastech conference in early September this year, East Pacific Shipping also placed an additional order for two 93,000 cbm VLACs with Jiangnan Shipbuilding, which is a follow-up to the contract signed on May 6 this year for the construction of four of the world’s largest 93,000m3 VLACs.
It is understood that East Pacific Shipping owns more than 250 ships with a total capacity of 23 million deadweight tons, including container ships, dry bulk carriers and tankers. It is unclear whether East Pacific Shipping has signed charter contracts for the six bulk carriers, but sources said mining giants BHP Billiton (BHP) and Rio Tinto are planning to charter up to six ammonia dual-fuel bulk carriers to transport iron ore cargoes, and the two companies are also potential charterers.
