HD Hyundai Heavy names 93,000 cubic metre ammonia-fuelled ship, due in November
In short
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD현대중공업) held a naming ceremony on 22 October at its Ulsan shipyard for the Terra Clove, a 93,000 cubic metre ammonia-fuelled ship that the company describes as the world's largest of its kind. It is the first of two ships ordered in 2023 by Singapore's EPS, and delivery is planned for early November.
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HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD현대중공업) held a naming ceremony on 22 October at its Ulsan shipyard for a 93,000 cubic metre ammonia-fuelled ship, which the company said is the world's largest of its kind. The ship was named Terra Clove, a combination of the Latin word for earth, 'Terra', and 'Clove', meaning flower bud. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Terra Clove is the first of two ships the company won in 2023 from Singapore shipping company EPS. Those present included Vice Chairman Lee Sang-gyun (이상균), EPS chief executive Sireol Duko (시럴 두코) and Ro Kum Yen (로 쿰 옌), chairman of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. Seoul Economic Daily also named John McDonald (존 맥도널드), president of the American Bureau of Shipping, among the guests. Seoul Economic Daily and Asia Economy put attendance at about 110 people. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The ship is 230 m long, 36.5 m wide and 23.6 m high. It carries four cargo tanks designed and built by the company, which can hold 93,000 cubic metres of ammonia and liquefied petroleum gas. Its ammonia dual-fuel propulsion system lets it use either conventional marine fuel or ammonia. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The ship also has a shaft generator that produces power from the propulsion engine's rotating shaft, and equipment to reduce nitrogen oxide and sulphur oxide emissions. For safety, it has a detector that checks for ammonia leaks in real time and a system to reduce ammonia emissions. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Yonhap and Asia Economy said the ship will be delivered in early November after finishing work. Seoul Economic Daily gave no delivery date. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Lee said: 'It is an honour to have built next-generation eco-friendly ships together with EPS for more than 30 years. The construction of this world's largest ammonia-fuelled ship is an important step forward towards the decarbonisation of shipping.' All three outlets carried the quote. They also noted that in April the company built and delivered the first 46,000 cubic metre medium-sized ammonia-fuelled gas carrier, which Yonhap said went to Belgian shipping company Exmar (엑스마르). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The company's vice chairman called the ship an important step towards decarbonising shipping. The documents give no independent assessment of its significance beyond the company's statements.
Key facts
- HD Hyundai Heavy Industries held the naming ceremony for the 93,000 cubic metre ammonia-fuelled ship Terra Clove at its Ulsan shipyard on 22 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The ship is the first of a series of two ordered in 2023 from Singapore's EPS. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The ship is 230 m long, 36.5 m wide and 23.6 m high, with four cargo tanks the company designed and built itself, for carrying ammonia and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- It has an ammonia dual-fuel propulsion system that can use either conventional marine fuel or ammonia. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Delivery is planned for early November after finishing work. [ 1 , 3 ]
- About 110 people attended the ceremony, according to two outlets. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The company held the Terra Clove naming ceremony at its Ulsan shipyard on 22 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Terra Clove is the first of two ships ordered from EPS in 2023. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The ship has four cargo tanks designed and built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and can carry ammonia and LPG. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The ship is due to be delivered in early November. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the ship is the world's largest ammonia-fuelled vessel. The claim comes from the company and the outlets repeat it; one outlet words it as 'world-largest level' and none gives a comparison.
- The exact delivery date. Two documents say early November; the third gives no date.