Equinor to have first-ever vessel fuelled by pure carbon-free ammonia

By Trend

Norway’s Equinor company will have a first-ever vessel fuelled by pure carbon-free ammonia, as it has signed an agreement Eidesvik Offshore shipyard for the construction of the Viking Energy supply vessel, Trend reports citing Equinor.

The vessel will transport supplies to installations on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS).

Equinor has awarded Eidesvik Offshore a five-year contract with effect from April 2020, when the current contract expires. The Viking Energy supply vessel will in the contract period be part of a research project developing, installing and testing long-distance sailing fuelled by carbon-free ammonia fuel cells. The technology will be tested on the vessel from 2024.

“Equinor aims to reduce the emissions in our supply chain, and regards the use of ammonia as a promising solution. Viking Energy may become the first supply vessel in the world covering long distances fuelled by pure carbon-free ammonia,” says Cecilie Rønning, senior vice president for Equinor’s joint operations support.

Together with the Konkraft partners Equinor earlier this year launched a joint ambition to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas operations in Norway by 40 percent by 2030, and to near zero by 2050.

The project will test whether the technology can deliver 100 percent carbon-free power over long distances.

According to the project plans ammonia will meet 60 to 70 percent of the power requirement on board for a test period of one year. Viking Energy will still be able to use LNG as fuel, and the remaining power requirement will be met by battery.

Equinor is a world leader in carbon capture and storage (CCS). CCS is about removing carbon from gases and storing it safely to prevent it from contributing to climate change.

The company sees CCS as the leading technology for decarbonising fossil fuels and an important long-term measure for reducing CO2 emissions globally.