Maersk Tankers’ plan to enable ammonia propulsion across its new Very Large Ammonia Carrier fleet has advanced after its RIPPLE retrofit project was selected for EU Innovation Fund support. A company statement carried by Hellenic Shipping News said the funding remains subject to completion of the grant agreement. The selection is therefore a step towards the proposed conversions, rather than confirmation that the vessels will be retrofitted.
Under RIPPLE, vessels would receive dual-fuel engines allowing them to burn ammonia as a marine fuel. Maersk Tankers said the changes would reduce operational emissions, although the statement gave no quantified reduction estimate. Proceeding with the work also requires commercial commitments from customers. That condition leaves the retrofit programme dependent on customer backing as well as the finalisation of the funding agreement; the statement did not specify a conversion schedule or grant amount.
The update coincided with a fleet milestone in South Korea. According to the statement published on 22 October, Maersk Tankers held the naming ceremony for Jessie Mærsk in Mokpo the previous day. The ship is the second in a series of ten Very Large Ammonia and Gas Carriers, described as VLAC/VLGCs. The company thanked HD Hyundai Samho and its own staff for their contributions, while saying it looked forward to the vessel joining its fleet.
The newbuild series forms part of Maersk Tankers’ return to gas shipping. Designed to carry both LPG and ammonia, the vessels also have an option for a dual-fuel engine retrofit, preserving the possibility of ammonia-powered operation in future. Their cargo-carrying capability and potential fuel conversion are distinct elements of the programme: the ships can serve the gas transport market while the propulsion changes remain conditional. Maersk Tankers said the ten-vessel fleet offered scope to support ammonia’s adoption as marine fuel and would expand commercial opportunities for both the company and its customers.