Norwegian energy giant Equinor has signed a contract with Eidesvik Offshore for the engine conversion of the Viking Energy supply vessel, allowing it to operate on ammonia.  

The conversion project will receive €5m through the EU's Horizon Europe programme with the vessel expected to be fully converted and put into operation with low emissions in 2026.  

According to Equinor, Viking Energy will be the first ammonia-fuelled vessel of its kind in the world and will continue to supply the company’s installations across the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS).  

Finnish marine and energy parts maker Wärtsilä is set to construct the engine on behalf of Eidesvik Offshore.  

Ørjan Kvelvane, Equinor's senior vice-president for joint operations support, said that the company has the “ambition to halve the maritime emissions associated with our Norwegian operations by 2030”.  

He added that both companies “strongly believe in the use of ammonia as a fuel on our supply vessels". 

Once the supply vessel’s engine is converted, Viking Energy’s emissions are set to be cut by 70%.  

Ammonia generally has a higher energy density than more traditional fuel sources. There is already a global infrastructure dedicated to the production and transportation of the chemical compound, thanks to its extensive use in agriculture.  

Kvelvane explained that offshore fleets operating on the NCS are out of date and in need of renewal. Whilst investment in new technologies is expensive, it is necessary when such transformation is urgent.  

At the time of delivery in 2003, Viking Energy was the world's first liquefied natural gas-fuelled supply vessel. The vessel was also the first in the world to receive DNV battery power notation. 

Equinor has highlighted that the development of the ammonia-fuelled vessel must adhere to new requirements set to be established by the Norwegian Government for low-emission solutions from 2025 and zero emissions from new supply vessels from 2029.