NYK completes world's first commercially viable ammonia-powered ship

The tug is deployed in Tokyo Bay

On August 23, the ammonia-powered tug Sakigake was completed by NYK and IHI Power Systems Co., Ltd. (IHI Power Systems) in cooperation with Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK). This is the world’s first ammonia-powered vessel for commercial use.* Shin-Nippon Kaiyosha, a member of the NYK Group, will use the vessel for a three-month demonstration period in tug operations in Tokyo Bay.

This ship was a Green Innovation Fund* project initiated in October 2021 by the Japan New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to develop ships equipped with domestically produced ammonia engines.

Its predecessor, the LNG-powered tug of the same name, was completed in August 2015 as Japan’s first LNG-powered ship. After eight years of towing service in Tokyo Bay, the ship was docked at the NYK Group’s Keihin Dock Co. Ltd. to be converted into an ammonia-powered ship. The main engine, etc., were replaced with ammonia-powered ones, and sea trials were conducted using ammonia as fuel. The completed ship was named Sakigake in the hope that it will be a pioneer of ammonia-powered ships just as it was the pioneer of LNG-powered ships.

As part of the development of ships equipped with domestically produced ammonia-fueled engines, NYK is conducting research and development on an ammonia-fueled medium-gas carrier (AFMGC) together with Japan Engine Corporation, Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd., IHI Power Systems and ClassNK under NEDO’s Green Innovation Fund Project. Delivery of this ship is scheduled for November 2026.

The NYK Group will continue to contribute to the decarbonization of the shipping industry by promoting and expanding the use of ammonia-powered vessels, leveraging the knowledge gained through research and development of these vessels.

* According to an investigation by NYK, the claim refers to August 23, 2024, and it was a “world first.”

On March 10, 2023, the NYK Group released its medium-term management plan “Sail Green, Drive Transformations 2026 – A Passion for Planetary Wellbeing”. The NYK Group promotes growth strategies with ESG at its core, based on the Group’s core philosophy of “Bringing Values to Life” and a new corporate vision for 2030, which is: “We go beyond the scope of a comprehensive global logistics company to jointly create the value required for the future by advancing our core business and expanding new business areas.”

NYK has also developed an ESG brand called “NYK GREEN EARTH”, which focuses on creating new value towards low-carbon and decarbonization through NYK’s green business.

*Click on the logo for more details.

Information about Sakigake

Length: 37.20 meters
Width: 10.20 meters
Depth: 4.40 meters
Gross tonnage: 278 tons
Year of construction: 2015
Shipping company: NYK Line

Company overviews

IHI Power Systems Co., Ltd.

Headquarters: Tokyo
President: Takashi Murasumi
Website: https://www.ihi.co.jp/ips/english/index.html

Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (Class NK)

Headquarters: Tokyo
President and CEO: Hiroaki Sakashita
Website: https://www.classnk.com/

Shin Nippon Kaiyosha

Headquarters: Yokohama
Representative: Takeshi Kato, President and Representative Director
Website: www.snkaiyosha.co.jp/page/eng.html

Keihin Dock Co., Ltd.

Headquarters: Yokohama
President: Toshiya Kozawa
Website (Japanese): https://www.keihindock.co.jp/