Imodco, which has been designing CALM floating buoys for decades, has developed a new terminal based on the technology for ammonia (source: Imodco)
Imodco, a unit of SBM Offshore Group, has developed a catenary anchor leg mooring (CALM) terminal to support the production and transport of green ammonia produced offshore
SB Offshore announced Imodco received an approval in principle from DNV for the ammonia CALM terminal solution in September. Imodco’s new ammonia CALM terminal is based on its well-proven single-point mooring terminals which have been used for decades to safely transfer fluids such as crude oil, gasoline, heavy fuel oil and jet fuel.
Imodco’s ammonia terminal solution has been designed for deployment at offshore locations that require the safe loading of ammonia carriers in open seas. Green ammonia can be produced by combining hydrogen separated from seawater by electrolysis and nitrogen captured from air. Both processes are powered by renewable energy.
The CALM ammonia terminal is a floating buoy that functions both as a mooring and loading connection for an ammonia carrier, allowing it to safely weathervane in the open sea, while it transfers cargo.
Carbon-free ammonia is seen as an important future fuel to support maritime decarbonisation. According to DNV’s Maritime Forecast 2050, 5% of the energy for shipping will come from carbon-neutral fuels by 2030. These are bioMGO, and bioLNG, e-ammonia (ammonia produced with renewable energy), blue ammonia and biomethanol.
Kriti Future, the world’s first ammonia-ready ship, which was nominated for Tanker Shipping & Trade’s Tanker of the Year Award, was delivered in February, and other such vessels are on order or on the drawing board in anticipation of the availability of green ammonia in the coming decade.
Riviera Maritime Media has a comprehensive conference programme for the rest of 2022 and will provide free technical and operational webinars in 2023.
