Seaspan's Ammonia-ready Feeder Ship Design Earns LR Approval

A next generation feeder ship design developed by Technolog for Seaspan Corporation has been awarded approval in principle (AIP) from Lloyd's Register (LR), the classification society announced.

The innovative vessel, measuring 198 meters long, is designed to be efficiently converted from liquefied natural gas (LNG) to ammonia fuel during its lifetime, trading efficiently in today’s market and being ready for tomorrow’s. The unique design is therefore prepared for future advancements in feeder vessel technology as power and propulsion systems continue to rapidly evolve.

Andy McKeran, Chief Commercial Officer at Lloyd's Register, said, "[The AIP] highlights Seaspan's dedication to excellence and sustainability in maritime transportation and LR remains committed to supporting industry leaders like Seaspan in their pursuit of cutting-edge solutions that drive positive change and set new standards for the future of shipping."

Peter Jackson, SVP of Assets and Technology at Seaspan Corporation, said, “We are committed to providing creative solutions to our customers in support of their decarbonization journey and the best way to do this is through partnerships and collaborations with industry leaders such as LR and Technolog.”

LR noted that the project builds on previous work it has conducted with Seaspan Corporation, a founding partner of several LR Safety Tech Accelerator initiatives, including “Methane Abatement in Maritime Innovation Initiative” and “Cargo Fire and Loss Innovation Initiative”. Seaspan and LR are also collaborating on initiatives focusing on how the energy transition is affecting seafarer safety.  

LR, Seaspan and Technolog will soon begin work on phase two of this project, which will be a dual-fuel ammonia feeder vessel.

Left to right: Britta Wodecki (Technolog), Peter Jackson (Seaspan), Dimitrios Panagopoulos (Seaspan), Fridtjof Rohde (Technolog), Colin Rawlins (Lloyd’s Register), Helge Voigt (Technolog), Hans-Jürgen Voigt (Technolog) (Photo: LR)