Skarv Shipping, the joint venture between Grieg Edge and Peak, has developed an innovative MPP newbuilding with ammonia propulsion. With two players from the timber products market, important partners have already been found for longer-term employment.
The joint venture, founded in 2022, announced a series of new builds last year. A sister has now been developed that is intended to resemble the series. Delivery of the ship is planned for 2027.
From then on, the as yet unnamed MPP freighter will be used by the companies Viken AT and AT Skog to transport Norwegian timber – “with minimal emissions”, as Skarv has now announced. The special feature is the approach of operating the ship with ammonia and electric propulsion from day one, according to the statement.
The ship is “in many ways an updated version of the sister ships” that Skarv Shipping has ordered for commercial operation for the Peak CSL Group. It is also specially equipped for timber transportation.
Arriva Shipping will time charter the vessel and manage the commercial operation for Viken AT Market. The duration of the cooperation has not been disclosed.
Viken AT ships around 1 million tons of Norwegian timber to the continent every year. Most of this is currently carried out using conventional, diesel-powered ships. This is now set to change, at least in part: “We are proud to be able to secure ship transportation with emission-free technology. With this hybrid ship, we can offer our customers more sustainable logistics. In our industry, it is unusual to enter into such a long-term transportation contract as we are doing here. However, we are confident as we already have extensive experience with Arriva Shipping, a flexible and reliable transportation company,” said Kjersti Denver, CEO of Viken AT Market.
Hans Erik Røra, Director of Market and Logistics at AT Skog, emphasized that the agreement is part of “AT Skog’s clear focus on greener shipping”. “We believe that future increases in CO₂ emission taxes will make ammonia-powered vessels profitable. The long-term agreement we have reached with Viken AT Market is another step towards reducing emissions in our timber transportation,” says Hans Erik Røra, Director of Market and Logistics at AT Skog.
The vessel is reportedly designed to run most efficiently at low speeds, which should help it to operate economically despite the higher cost of ammonia compared to conventional fuels. A 160 cubic meter ammonia tank, mixed with MGO (Marine Gas Oil) as pilot fuel, is sufficient for a 14-day round trip from Norway to the continent.
Skarv: Ammonia risks taken into account
“This is our first ship that can run on ammonia from day one, which means it operates with minimal greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, the engine is connected to an electric propulsion system that uses batteries and has access to shore power,” explains Jan Øivind Svardal, CEO of Skarv Shipping.
The risks associated with the use of ammonia as a fuel have been taken into account in the design and operation of the ship, Svaardal continues. Safety is paramount and is being developed in close cooperation with the class, the manufacturers of environmentally friendly technology and LMG Marin as ship designer. The vessel will be equipped with state-of-the-art safety systems and procedures for operational safety and crew training,” says Svardal.
Details
- Type: MPP self-unloader
- Length: 108.2 m
- Width: 18.1 m
- Construction draught: 6.5 m
- DWT at maximum draught: 7,800
- Cargo hold cubic capacity: 10,200 m³
- Hatch area (gross): 1,500 m²
