Marine classification company American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has approved in principle a new marine-based ammonia HVAC refrigeration system.
The system was developed by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) in response to shipowners’ requests for refrigeration of HVAC systems using ammonia, a more eco-friendly refrigerant with a zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and a Global Warming Potential of zero.
Ammonia is generally used in land-based systems due to safety concerns.
ABS used its marine vessel rules to conduct technical suitability reviews of the designs, materials, fire and personnel safety equipment, piping, electrical, operations tests and risk assessments.
ABS vice president, Global Sustainability, Panos Koutsourakis, said this is an exciting development from HHI for the maritime industry’s decarbonization quest to find sustainable solutions.
“ABS has always been a safety pioneer, so we are well placed to tackle the challenges on board and ashore presented by ammonia’s toxicity and flammability. ABS is committed to leading the industry in supporting ammonia’s safe adoption at sea,” he said.
Hwan-Sik Lee, head of the ship design office at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, said the company will continue to make efforts to realize maritime carbon neutrality by strengthening the eco-friendliness of not only the propulsion device but also the overall ship.