Exmar, the Antwerp-based gas shipowner and infrastructure developer, has taken delivery of MGC Antwerpen, which the company describes as the first oceangoing vessel equipped with a dual-fuel ammonia engine.

The midsize gas carrier (MGC), developed in collaboration with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, engine maker WinGD, Nord Gas Solutions (formerly Wärtsilä Gas Solutions), and classification society Lloyd’s Register, is capable of carrying up to 46,000 cbm of ammonia or LPG. According to Exmar, the vessel can operate with close to zero emissions when using low-carbon ammonia as fuel, reducing greenhouse gases by up to 90% compared to conventional ships, and meets and exceeds current International Maritime Organization (IMO) emissions reduction targets.

Carl-Antoine Saverys, CEO of Exmar Group, commented: “Ammonia propulsion is no longer theoretical — we are deploying it. Change comes through execution, not debate. This achievement reflects collective expertise and our commitment to drive sustainable shipping forward.”

Exmar explained that operational safety was a central focus throughout the vessel’s development, drawing on the company’s four decades of experience transporting ammonia and other liquefied gases. Comprehensive crew training, risk assessments, and input from partners and the Belgian administration were said to have been carried out to support safe operations under established regulatory frameworks.

Antwerpen is the first in a planned series of four ammonia dual-fuel midsize gas carriers, each named after a Belgian city.

Exmar Group specialises in floating maritime solutions for the transport, transformation, and storage of gas and liquid hydrocarbons, operating a fleet ranging from very large gas carriers (VLGCs) to pressurised vessels, as well as floating LNG production, storage, and regasification units.