Key Takeaways

• Viking Energy will be the first in-service vessel to run on ammonia and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% or more by 2026.
• Eidesvik Offshore has partnered with Equinor to convert the vessel to showcase ammonia as a clean fuel for maritime operations.
• The project is supported by Wärtsilä and Breeze Ship Design and funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe programme.

Eidesvik Offshore, a shipping company that provides services to the offshore oil industry, has taken a big step towards decarbonisation.

The platform supply vessel (PSV) “Viking Energy” will get an ammonia dual-fuel engine and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 70% or more. It will run on ammonia for Equinor by 2026.

Since 2003, Viking Energy has been on contract with Equinor. This will be the first in-service vessel to run on ammonia as the main energy source. Ammonia is known as a cleaner fuel option, especially for long routes like in the North Sea and now it will be put into practical use.

The partnership with Equinor which includes financing for the conversion has been key. "This project wouldn’t have been possible without Equinor’s support and our shared climate goals", says Gitte Gard Talmo, CEO and President of Eidesvik Offshore. The partnership will pave the way for broader ammonia adoption in the shipping industry.

Viking Energy has already made history, the first LNG-powered offshore vessel and the first to get DNV ‘Battery Power’ notation after the hybrid conversion in 2016. The new project, called ‘Apollo’, will get a Wärtsilä W25 dual-fuel engine that can run on ammonia and marine gas oil (MGO).

The ammonia engine and fuel gas supply system has been ordered as part of this project. Talmo says the company has been working towards reducing fuel consumption for years and Viking Energy is leading the way.

In addition to a new 5-year contract with Equinor in the North Sea, Viking Energy will get ammonia technology from Wärtsilä and ship design services from Breeze Ship Design. The project has also received €5M from the EU’s Horizon Europe programme and support from Maritime CleanTech.

Talmo stresses the importance of collaboration in the green transition of the shipping industry. The Apollo project is an example of how to build partnerships that drive progress. Beyond the dual-fuel engine, Viking Energy is also part of the EU-funded ShipFC project that will pilot ammonia-powered fuel cells.

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Source: Eidesvik Offshore