Anglo-Eastern has detailed its role in developing and preparing CMB.TECH's Mineral Europa, the world's first ammonia-powered dry bulk carrier, which recently embarked on its maiden voyage.

The 210,000 dwt Newcastlemax, built by CSSC Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding, features a WinGD dual-fuel ammonia engine and a Sun Rui Ammonia Fuel Supply System. The vessel can operate on ammonia or conventional marine fuel, providing flexibility as ammonia bunkering infrastructure develops.

Anglo-Eastern's involvement dates to 2018, when its technical services division began evaluating alternative fuels with CMB.TECH, initially examining hydrogen before progressing to ammonia.

By 2020, Anglo-Eastern Technical Services (AETS) was developing the vessel's safety philosophy, fuel arrangements and preliminary engineering. The design received Approvals in Principle from Lloyd's Register and ABS in 2021.

A central engineering challenge was integrating ammonia storage, double-wall piping, ventilation, leak detection, containment and emergency shutdown systems without sacrificing cargo capacity.

"The technical challenge was not just accommodating a new fuel. Safety, containment and operational requirements all had to work together as an integrated system without compromising the vessel's primary purpose as a commercial cargo carrier," said Arunava Sengupta, Managing Director of AETS.

Anglo-Eastern also supported newbuilding supervision, technical management and crew preparation. Vessel-specific operating, bunkering, maintenance and emergency procedures were developed alongside training incorporating a three-dimensional digital twin, fuel supply simulator and emergency scenarios. Senior officers participated in shipyard and sea trials.

"Mineral Europa demonstrates what can be achieved when an owner's conviction is matched by deep engineering and operational capability," said Bjorn Hojgaard, Anglo-Eastern CEO.

CMB.TECH CEO Alexander Saverys described the vessel's entry into service as a milestone in the company's decarbonization strategy, with additional ammonia-powered vessels expected to follow.

Anglo-Eastern said it remains fuel-agnostic, supporting shipowners in evaluating alternative propulsion technologies according to their operational requirements.

Image courtesy Anglo Eastern