ABS has awarded approval in principle (AiP) to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) and HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) for a 22,000-cbm ammonia bunkering vessel. The vessel is designed to supply ammonia as marine fuel. The approval was announced at Gastech 2026 and follows a joint development project launched earlier this year. Design supports ammonia bunkering ABS reviewed the vessel’s general and machinery arrangements. The classification society also assessed its ammonia cargo handling and fuel supply systems against applicable class and international requirements. “Bunkering infrastructure is a critical step for any marine fuel to scale, and it has to be implemented with safety designed in from the start,” said Gareth Burton, ABS Senior Vice President, Global Engineering. According to Burton, the design addresses growing demand for fuel flexibility while supporting the safe bunkering of ammonia. HD Hyundai targets commercialisation HD Hyundai expects demand for ammonia bunkering vessels to increase as more ammonia-fuelled ships enter the market. “This AIP marks a significant milestone toward the commercialization of ammonia bunkering vessels,” said Ryu Hong-Ryeul, Chief Technical Officer of HD HHI. ABS and HD Hyundai have previously worked together on several ammonia-related projects. These include approval in principle for HD KSOE’s ammonia cargo handling and bunkering system. ABS has also carried out an initial review of HD HHI’s engine-room machinery arrangement. The latest project forms part of efforts to develop the infrastructure required to support ammonia as a marine fuel. The post ABS approves 22,000-cbm ammonia bunkering vessel design appeared first on Container News .