Finland-headed marine and energy engineering and technology major Wärtsilä Oyj and Norway-based Simon Møkster Shipping AS have signed a collaboration agreement to carry out a feasibility study on utilizing ammonia as the main fuel in dual-fuel engines where liquefied natural gas (LNG) is the alternative fuel.
Privately held by the Møkster family, Simon Møkster Shipping AS is a supplier of modern offshore support vessels (OSV) with high-quality specifications, designed for operations in harsh weather conditions. Located in Stavanger, Norway, the main operational area is in the North- and the Barents Sea.
Møkster has a fleet of 17 vessels and approximately 500 employees onshore and offshore. The aim is to demonstrate the feasibility of converting vessels for dual ammonia – LNG operation, and that it can be carried out safely and efficiently.
We are excited to join Wärtsilä in this project. We see this as a step towards meeting our targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and our ambition is to cut our fleet’s CO2 emissions by 40 percent by 2030. By 2050 we expect to reach net-zero carbon emissions, said Anne Jorunn Møkster, Owner and CEO Simon Møkster.
The testing will be carried out on the ‘Stril Pioner’, an OSV currently operating with Wärtsilä 32DF dual-fuel engines using LNG as the primary fuel.
Decarbonization is central to the future of shipping, and Wärtsilä is totally committed to helping our customers achieve this goal. This collaboration agreement represents further evidence of this commitment. We are leading the way towards the adoption of alternative cleaner future marine fuels through extensive testing and research, and we see ammonia as an extremely promising option, said Cato Esperø, Head of Sales Norway, Wärtsilä.
