The platform supply vessel (PSV) of Eidesvik Offshore will become the world's first in-service ship to use ammonia as marine fuel after being equipped with Wärtsilä W25 dual-fuel engine.
Viking Energy is scheduled to start sailing on ammonia as of H1 2026. The 2003-launched PSV will continue working for Equinor, who will financially contribute to the conversion, at least till 2030, following a new five-year contract.
The retrofit is part of the EU-backed Apollo project, whose partners say Viking Energy's greenhouse gas emissions will go down by as much as 70% (the PSV is now a hybrid, using liquefied natural gas as its primary bunker).
The Apollo project will also prepare different modular designs and concepts for the adoption of ammonia engines for both existing ships and newbuilds. VTT leads the work to scale the learnings from the demonstrator ship to other vessel types. The National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos is responsible for assessing safety criteria. Breeze Ship Design will deliver the ship design services while Wärtsilä - the complete ammonia solution (engine, fuel gas supply and release mitigation systems, and service agreement).
Additionally, the partners will map the existing supply chain of green ammonia in Europe and stake out the needed bunkering infrastructure to serve marine and inland vessels.
Photo: Apollo project