Bernhard Schulte Group’s ship management company, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), recently announced that BSM Germany will provide technical management services for the world’s first ammonia bunkering vessel.
This new vessel was ordered by Japan’s Itochu Corporation in June this year at Sasaki Shipbuilding. The vessel has a capacity of 5000 cubic meters, is scheduled for delivery in September 2027, will serve the Singapore bunkering center in the future, and will fly the Singapore flag.
Nick Topham, Managing Director of BSM Germany, stated: “This collaboration is a significant milestone in our continuously deepening partnership with Itochu Corporation. Since 2022, leveraging our extensive experience in ammonia cargo transportation and cryogenic bunkering, we have been deeply involved in Itochu Corporation’s specialized working group, jointly promoting the construction of the global ammonia supply chain infrastructure.”
Alternative fuels like ammonia are crucial for the decarbonization of the shipping industry. Compared to traditional fuel oil-powered vessels, ammonia-fueled vessels can reduce “Tank-to-Wake” greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90%.
In preparation for the management requirements of the first ammonia bunkering vessel and future ammonia-powered vessels, BSM has systematically advanced the accumulation of relevant knowledge and technical reserves. The company is steadily progressing with the formulation and refinement of operational procedures to ensure employees can confidently handle the various challenges posed by ammonia fuel. Currently, the BSM Maritime Training Centre has launched specialized ammonia fuel training courses dedicated to enhancing crew members’ understanding and operational capabilities regarding new fuel technologies. Building on this, BSM’s Maritime Training Centre in Kochi, India, plans to introduce an ammonia bunkering simulator in the second quarter of 2026, further assisting seafarers in being fully prepared for the transition to a low-carbon future.
It is understood that Itochu Corporation signed a construction contract for the ammonia bunkering vessel with Sasaki Shipbuilding in June this year, and also signed an equipment contract with Izumi Steel Works, which will manufacture the ammonia fuel tank system installed on the vessel. This project has been selected for the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s 2023 supplementary budget project “Global South Future-Oriented Co-creation Project (Large-scale /ASEAN Member States)”.
Clean Ammonia Bunkering Shipping (CABS), a wholly-owned special purpose company established by Itochu Corporation in Singapore, will act as the shipowner and has signed a construction financing contract with The Hiroshima Bank. Upon completion, the vessel will be operated on a time charter basis by ZETA Bunkering, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Itochu Corporation, and will provide fuel supply to ammonia-fueled vessels at sea.
As part of the project, Itochu Corporation plans to establish offshore ammonia fuel supply operations through ship-to-ship transfer methods after the vessel’s development and construction are completed. Once the ammonia bunkering vessel is built, Itochu Corporation will support shipping companies that are the first to use ammonia fuel and clean ammonia producers, and stabilize the demand for ammonia fuel in the early stages.
Itochu Corporation plans to establish Singapore as an ammonia bunkering hub and further expand to key global maritime traffic nodes such as the Strait of Gibraltar in Spain, the Suez Canal in Egypt, and Japan.
Furthermore, by leveraging the expertise and experience in shipbuilding, as well as the planned ammonia bunkering demonstration project using this vessel in Singapore, Itochu Corporation will contribute to enhancing the competitiveness of the Japanese shipbuilding industry in the construction of ammonia bunkering vessels and the manufacturing of ammonia fuel tanks, areas where demand is rapidly growing.
