The project for the construction of six modern cargo ships which will use the technology of splitting ammonia into hydrogen and using it as a propulsion system through fuel cells is entering the final stretch.
Behind the project is Pherousa Green Shipping AS (PGS), a division of Pherousa Green Technologies (PGT), which was founded three years ago in Norway by the Greek engineer Dr. Vassilis Besikiotis and Tonny Thorsen.
According to “Naftemporiki” sources, PGS will start the tender process for the selection of the shipyard that will build the bulk carriers, ultramax type, in the end of the first quarter of 2024 or the beginning of the second. The cost of the construction will be the main criterion.
As Dr. Besikiotis has said in an interview to “Naftemporiki”, the new ships will be ready at the end of 2027 or the beginning of 2028.
Yard selection is critical as yard workload is particularly high, with many facilities reporting ‘sold out’ conditions and delivery times beyond 2027.
However, according to maritime representatives, the concept of the specific ships is of considerable interest.
Briefly, the project envisages that PGS will use ammonia which will “crack” it into hydrogen for use in fuel cells as auxiliary power and in the main engines as a pilot along with ammonia. By choosing hydrogen fuel cells as the propulsion system with ammonia cracking, the shipowner can start with ammonia and switch to hydrogen at any time with minimal investment risk, the company said.
The initial fleet of six ultramaxes vessels will focus on serving the global copper industry. Given copper’s central role in decarbonisation efforts, the copper industry has set ambitious emissions reduction targets, including Scope 3 emissions, which relate to transport to end users.
