NYK, Enaex explore low-carbon ammonia supply

Enaex S.A., a Chilean ammonium nitrate plant, and NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers Ltd. (NBP), a part of the NYK Group, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to investigate the viability of delivering low-carbon ammonia to ammonia-fuelled ships.

NBP plans to build 10 to 15 ammonia-fueled Handymax bulkers in the late 2020s and beyond to carry copper products from Chile to the Far East for Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile (CODELCO), the world’s largest copper producer.

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Enaex and NBP will work out the technicalities of supplying low-carbon ammonia to the vessels from their Mejillones ammonia terminal in northern Chile’s Antofagasta area.

The MoU was signed at Enaex’s headquarters in Santiago, Chile, by CEO Juan Andrés Errázuriz Domínguez, Chairman Hitoshi Nagasawa of NYK, and President Masashi Suda of NBP.

In January, NYK, Japan Engine Corporation, IHI Power Systems Co., and Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd. signed contracts to build the world’s first ammonia-fuelled medium gas carrier (AFMGC) powered by Japan-made engines.

Recently, NYK agreed to provide oceanographic information to the Japan Coast Guard through the IoS Open Platform (IoS-OP) services provided by Ship Data Center Co., Ltd. (ShipDC).