Fu’an, Fujian – FZU Zijin Hydrogen Power, a subsidiary of Zijin Mining, has successfully conducted offshore trials of China’s first vessel powered by an ammonia-to-hydrogen internal combustion engine (ICE). This milestone validates a commercially viable pathway to decarbonization, with the technology slashing operating costs by 45% and cutting carbon emissions by over 99% compared to conventional fossil-fuel-powered ships.
The breakthrough not only pioneers the application of ammonia-based hydrogen technology in ships but also offers a new solution to accelerate the zero-carbon transition of China’s coastal shipping sector.
The new vessel demonstrates significant advantages over pure electric alternatives, with a 30% lower purchase cost and quadruple the cruising range.
Innovative Power System Overcomes Key Industry Bottleneck
At the heart of the trial vessel lies an ammonia-based ICE range extender, an equipment independently developed by FZU Zijin, which integrates a traditional internal combustion engine with a proprietary ammonia decomposition reactor. This innovation addresses a key challenge facing the shipbuilding industry: the difficult ignition characteristics of ammonia-based fuel.
Compared to conventional fuel-powered vessels, the hybrid system delivers superior performance across three dimensions: faster power response, greater adaptability to varying operating conditions, and lower overall costs. It significantly extends the vessel’s operational range, seamlessly supporting both low-speed cruising for daily coastal navigation and high-power output for emergency scenarios – all while ensuring efficient ammonia-to-hydrogen conversion and stable energy supply.
Compelling Economic and Environmental Value
The trial results underscore the strong potential of FZU Zijin’s technology to balance sustainability with profitability:
● Compared to traditional fuel vessels: 45% lower operating costs and over 99% reduction in carbon emissions.
● Compared to pure electric vessels: 30% lower purchase costs and four times the cruising range.
As China advances its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality strategy, the coastal shipping industry is under growing pressure to adopt green technologies. The successful trial provides a zero-carbon power solution for mainstream coastal vessels such as law enforcement ships, fishing boats, and short-haul freight vessels.
This latest achievement builds on FZU Zijin’s earlier success in launching China’s first ammonia-to-hydrogen fuel cell vessel, marking its strategic progress in developing two parallel, ammonia-based power solutions for the maritime industry.
Leveraging this success, FZU Zijin will now focus on optimizing the energy efficiency and operational reliability of its ammonia-to-hydrogen ICE system. The company aims to apply the technology to medium and large specialized offshore ships and freight vessels, providing crucial momentum for China’s coastal zero-carbon shipping industry and establishing ammonia-based hydrogen as a key driver in decarbonizing the shipping sector.
About Zijin Mining
Zijin Mining is a leading global metals and mining company and one of the world’s largest producers of gold, copper, and zinc. The company has more than 30 large-scale mining operations and projects across 19 countries on 5 continents. Leveraging strong in-house research, engineering, and development capabilities, Zijin maintains high operational efficiency and low costs in both acquisitions and operations. This enables the company to be an industry leader in value creation, underpinned by its philosophy of pursuing development for all and sustained by superior environmental, social, and governance performance. Zijin’s shares trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX: 2899) and the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE: 601899).