Grieg and Wärtsilä to build green ammonia tanker

Grieg Edge, an innovation hub established by Grieg Star Group, and Wärtsilä Norway have secured financial support for their project to build the world’s first green ammonia fueled tanker – to ship green ammonia. 

Specifically, the MS Green Ammonia project will receive NOK 46.3 million from the Norwegian funding scheme Pilot-E confirmed.

The partnership aims to launch the GHG emission-free tanker in 2024.

The MS Green Ammonia project is the first big venture of Grieg Edge. It is a result of a Nordic industrial collaboration group initiated by Zero Emission Energy Distribution at Sea (ZEEds).

“We regard the funding from Pilot-E as a valuable stamp of approval for our plans. Both Wärtsilä and we feel confident that this project represents the future for the maritime sector. To have the support from the Norwegian Research Council and Innovation Norway is a significant step towards completion,” Head of Grieg Edge, Nicolai Grieg says.

“This year’s grants show that the Norwegian maritime industry is really at the forefront of developing emission-free solutions with great export potential. This is another great example of how we create new green industry and growth in Norway,” says Minister of Trade and Industry Iselin Nybø in a press release by Pilot-E.

The partners plan to have MS Green Ammonia distribute green ammonia from the planned factory in Berlevåg to various locations and end-users along the coast. Concrete design, size, and volume are all elements that are dependant on the market and end-users.

Grieg Star said that the project has already established LOIs with several heavyweight industrial partners amid strong interest from owners of ferries, offshore supply ships, fishing vessels, and energy-producing companies.

“ In total, they require an amount of energy surpassing what we can achieve in this project. The market is there without a doubt,” says Chief Business Development Officer in Grieg Star Group, Vidar Lundberg.

According to Wärtsilä, shipowners operating LNG-fuelled vessels represent a significant source of potential customers. Depending on the engine type, ammonia could be mixed with the LNG, or alternatively, the engine could be easily retrofitted to use only ammonia. 

“We are in the midst of a transition to low carbon shipping, and the long traditions we have in Norway for cross industry cooperation is vital for the successful implementation of a new green value chain,” says Cato Esperø, Head of sales Wärtsilä Norway.