Hydrogen Production Advances with Ammonia-Fuel-Cell Crude Carrier Approval

It’s an exciting time in marine industrial decarbonization. On 24 September 2025, Samsung Heavy Industries snagged an Approval in Principle (AiP) from Bureau Veritas—the French classification giant—for a bulk carrier that runs on an ammonia-based hydrogen fuel cell system. This stamp of approval isn’t just a trophy: it confirms the core design specs and clears the runway for weaving hydrogen production right into everyday ship engines.

The AiP blueprint hinges on an onboard ammonia cracking unit built by South Korea’s Panasia in Busan, paired with PEM fuel cells from Vincent out in Geoje. Malaysia’s MISC Berhad chimed in with real-world data and will co-lead the economic studies alongside SHI. By bringing together a shipyard, a classification society, specialized suppliers and a big-name operator across three countries, this project really drives home shipping’s shift toward zero-emission technology and broader industrial decarbonization.

Technical Blueprint of the Ammonia-Based System

At the heart of this design is the thermal cracking of ammonia. Panasia’s cracking unit heats up NH₃ with a special catalyst until it splits into hydrogen and nitrogen. That hydrogen then feeds straight into proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) made by Vincent, which are scattered around the vessel to power the main electric motors with several megawatts of juice.

This distributed fuel cell layout is smart engineering. Each module works on its own, so if one hiccups you don’t lose the whole system—safety gets a serious boost. Plus, exhaust is just nitrogen and water vapor, so no sulfur or nasty particulates. You also get a quieter, less vibrating ride compared to diesel setups, which keeps the crew happier and slashes wear-and-tear on gearboxes and scrubbers.

Strategic Implications for Marine Decarbonization

The International Maritime Organization has its sights set on cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 50% come 2050. That’s got shipowners and yards scrambling for viable alternatives, and an AiP for a 115,000-tonne carrier using clean ammonia shows SHI stepping up to the plate on fuel cell technology for big ships. Securing this approval chops out a massive chunk of risk, so detailed engineering can kick off and financing talks with banks and investors can pick up steam.

What’s clever is how the partners play to their strengths: SHI builds the hulls, Panasia and Vincent offer their specialized modules, Bureau Veritas checks all the boxes, and MISC Berhad injects operational know-how. This cross-border tag team is laying a straight path to full-scale builds in the late 2020s.

Industry Context and Parallel Advances

Maritime shipping has long been hooked on heavy fuel oil and marine diesel, but mounting regulatory and market pressure means greener options are no longer optional. Enter hydrogen fuel cells and clean ammonia—top contenders for low- or zero-carbon ship power, assuming the feedstocks come from renewable sources. Surprisingly, the core fuel cell tech, dreamed up in the mid-20th century, is finally hitting its stride in terms of cost and reliability for giants at sea.

SHI isn’t resting on its laurels. While chasing this AiP, they’re also lining up approvals for molten salt reactor-powered LNG carriers and a massive liquefied hydrogen ship. It’s a full-court press, betting on multiple lanes to reach the same goal: cleaner shipping.

Collateral Impacts and Challenges

On paper, this project brings some serious upsides: slashed GHG emissions, a quieter, smoother deck, boosted safety from modular power units, and a shot in the arm for local innovation around marine fuel cell technology. But let’s not gloss over the hurdles. Large-scale logistics for clean ammonia bunkering are still in the early innings, and we’ll need rigorous life-cycle analyses to prove the real climate gains—especially if some ammonia still comes from fossil-derived hydrogen.

The money side hinges on ammonia prices, fuel cell stack longevity, and how sweet financing gets. That’s where the MISC-led viability study comes in, laying out the total cost of ownership versus classic vessels. Even so, nailing down this AiP moves the whole conversation from theory to “how do we build the first one?”

Think of the AiP as a flashing green light for the market. Investors, shipowners and port authorities will be watching SHI’s next steps in detailed design and full-scale engineering. Pulling this off commercially could rewrite the financing playbook for green fleets and kickstart industrial decarbonization corridors—picture ammonia bunkering hubs popping up along major routes like Singapore to Rotterdam.

Of course, success isn’t guaranteed. It depends on a broader hydrogen ecosystem: scaled-up hydrogen production, standardized bunkering rules, and policy nudges for zero-emission vessels. But with AiP certification in hand, ammonia-based fuel cell tech is no longer just a concept; it’s on track to become a real, working solution for sustainable shipping in the next decade.

About Samsung Heavy Industries

Samsung Heavy Industries is a global shipbuilding powerhouse based in Seoul, with major yards on Geoje and Busan in South Korea. Known for offshore platforms, LNG carriers and cutting-edge propulsion systems, SHI is staking its claim as a front-runner in the push for greener, more sustainable marine tech.