South Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai Samho has delivered its first very large ammonia carrier, Jane Maersk, to Danish shipping company Maersk. The 93,000-cubic-metre vessel is the first of 10 very large ammonia carriers that the shipbuilder is scheduled to deliver to the operator by September 2028.
The vessel measures 221 metres in length, 36.5 metres in width and 23.6 metres in height. It was designed to transport both liquefied ammonia and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
According to HD Hyundai Samho, ammonia's higher specific gravity than LPG, combined with its corrosive and toxic properties, required the vessel to incorporate specialised hull structures, cargo handling systems and a high-level alarm that responds specifically during ammonia loading operations.
These features are intended to reduce operational burden and minimise the risk of misloading.
HD Hyundai Samho also reported that it has secured orders for 30 vessels worth $4.08 billion so far this year, representing 83.2 per cent of its annual order target of $4.9 billion.
The orders comprise five tankers, 11 very large gas carriers, five LNG carriers and nine very large ammonia carriers. Its current order backlog for gas carriers totals 22 vessels valued at $2.55 billion.
