China leads the world in ship owning and ship building, and ammonia is high on its agenda for the future.

Ammonia was bunkered for the first time in China late last year when Liaoning Suppliers refuelled the tugboat Yuantuo 1. It was one of very few ammonia bunker transfers to date globally, and the operation was conducted at the COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry terminal in Dalian thanks in part to guidance from China Classification Society (CCS).

The 5,500HP tugboat was the first ammonia-fuelled ship built in China, and CCS played a major role in the vessel design, including designing the ammonia fuel containment and supply system. The society also conducted research into the catalyst technology used in the vessel’s SCR, among other technical developments.