China's first ammonia-fuelled tug delivered to new owner

The first ammonia-fuelled tug to be built in China has been handed over to its new owner.

Classed by both China Classification Society and the American Bureau of Shipping, Yuan Tuo Yi was designed and built jointly by Dalian University of Technology and local shipyard COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry.

The vessel has an LOA of 38 metres, a beam of 11 metres, a design draught of 3.7 metres, a depth of 4.8 metres, and a gross tonnage of 496. A dual-fuel engine with a total installed power of 4,100 kW drives an azimuthing thruster to deliver a bollard pull of 60 tonnes and a design speed of 12.5 knots.

The tug is fitted with an exhaust gas aftertreatment system to help further reduce its emissions. A 12V240H diesel engine supplied by CRRC Dachai has been modified to run primarily on ammonia fuel, which will be fed by two type C high-pressure tanks fitted on the main deck.

Yuan Tuo Yi is also outfitted for external firefighting thanks to the installation of a main engine-driven pump.