Malaysia’s shipping group MISC and China Offshore Engineering & Technology Company Limited have secured Approval in Principle (AIP) from ABS for the design of a large-scale ammonia floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, marking a key milestone in the project’s development.
The project is currently in the pre-front-end engineering and design (pre-FEED) phase, with the AIP confirmed this week. The pre-FEED study, which includes detailed assessments of capital and operating expenditures, is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of next year.
Offshore Production of Clean Ammonia
The proposed ammonia FPSO is designed to produce up to 1 million tonnes per annum of liquid ammonia. Feed gas will be supplied from a nearby offshore host facility, such as an oil-producing FPSO, enabling the conversion of previously underutilised gas into a high-value product.
The topsides processing plant features a modular and flexible design, allowing it to handle varying feed gas specifications while producing clean ammonia with 99.8% purity. Once onboard storage approaches capacity, liquid ammonia can be exported directly to ammonia carriers via tandem offloading.
Technology Collaboration and Independent Review
MISC and China Offshore are working closely with KBR and LNT Marine, which is providing its LNT A-BOX containment system for ammonia cargo storage. ABS was appointed by the consortium to conduct an independent technical review and validate the feasibility and safety of the FPSO concept.
According to MISC, the design adapts proven onshore ammonia production technology for offshore deployment, enabling the transformation of offshore hydrocarbon gas into blue ammonia, stored onboard under cryogenic conditions.
Supporting Lower-Carbon Offshore Development
The standalone floating facility offers upstream developers a practical pathway to monetise gas that would otherwise be reinjected, while shortening the ammonia supply chain and improving its well-to-gate carbon emissions profile.
MISC chief executive Zahid Osman said the project reflects a strategic collaboration aimed at driving meaningful change in the offshore energy sector.
By repurposing established onshore technologies for offshore use, the partners aim to support the industry’s lower-carbon ambitions while unlocking new commercial opportunities in the growing global ammonia market.