Lloyd's Register Grants Approval for Floating Ammonia Cracker Unit Development Project

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (“MOL”), HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co., Ltd. (“HD KSOE”), and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (“HHI”) have announced that the Approval in Principle was granted from Lloyd's Register to jointly develop a Floating Ammonia Cracker Unit (“FACU”).

FACU is a solution that enables direct hydrogen supply from offshore to onshore by equipping vessels with technology that thermally decomposes ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen. It is expected to accelerate the use of hydrogen energy toward the realization of a decarbonized society.

Conceptual design image of the Floating Ammonia Cracker Unit. Image courtesy of MOL.

MOL, HD KSOE and HHI have finalized the conceptual design, including the process layout and general arrangement of FACU.  Kellogg Brown & Root LLC collaborated on the ammonia cracking process and module design, enabling a single-train capacity of 1,000 ton/day hydrogen supply based on H2ACT® technology.  Amogy Inc. provided a new catalyst solution.

As the demand for hydrogen as a clean energy source continues to grow, establishing a robust supply chain is crucial for its widespread deployment. By receiving ammonia, cracking it onboard, and delivering hydrogen to onshore, this solution contributes to the stable supply of clean energy in areas where building onshore facilities is challenging.

The presentation ceremony was held on Sept. 9 at the Gastech Exhibition & Conference 2025, one of the world's largest international energy exhibitions and conferences, in Milan, Italy.