ICE was last year commissioned by the Netherlands-based project developer SwitcH2 B.V. to design the hull of a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel incorporating a 300 MW offshore green hydrogen and ammonia synthesis plant using wind and wave energy. The project is supported by a Dutch Government grant and involves several well-known industrial partners such as BW Offshore, CorePower Ocean, Ohmium and Thyssenkrupp Uhde. Refinement of the design is ongoing; however, SwitcH2 has already contacted selected shipyards to get quotes for construction of the first FPSO, to meet its target of producing green ammonia by 2029.
Using a moored FPSO for ammonia production has numerous advantages compared to a land-based plant or installation on a fixed platform. An FPSO can be built and installed quicker, has inherent storage capacity and can relatively easily be relocated to new locations if necessary. ICE is ideally qualified to assist SwitcH2 on this pioneering project, having a track record of design services for more than 70 offshore floater projects for clients world-wide, including new construction, conversions and technical studies for FPSOs, FSOs, FLNGs and FSRUs, as well as designing ships for transportation of gas including ammonia.
The picture shows a computer-generated model of the proposed FPSO, which is suitable for both near-shore and offshore locations.
