Since ammonia has a high specific gravity, VLAC cargo tanks and hulls need to be reinforced, and the vessels will have a deeper draught when fully loaded.
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co. has jointly developed a large ammonia carrier that uses ammonia as fuel, in collaboration with MOL and Namura Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
Emissions data was also encouraging, with ammonia emissions below 10ppm and N2O below 3ppm. NOx emissions for ammonia operation were well below those generated during diesel use.
A 52-bore single-cylinder version of the X-DF-A engine is running at the company's Engine Research and Innovation Centre (ERIC) in Winterthur, with final validation to be completed in time for the first engine deliveries in June 2025.