How HBA Future Energy’s FAPSO Vessel Could Revolutionize Renewable Ammonia
When we think of big ships at sea, most of us imagine oil tankers or container vessels carrying goods across oceans. But what if those ships weren’t just moving fuel or cargo — what if they were factories at sea, making clean fuel from the waves and the wind around them?
That’s exactly what Singapore-based HBA Future Energy is working on with its innovative Floating Ammonia Production, Storage and Offloading (FAPSO) concept.
What is a FAPSO?
The FAPSO is like an energy factory on water. Built either from a converted oil tanker (VLCC) or a new ship of similar size (about 330 meters long — nearly the length of three football fields), it will float offshore, permanently moored in waters around 200 meters deep.
Instead of drilling for oil or gas, the FAPSO will make renewable ammonia — a clean fuel and fertilizer feedstock that could power ships, industries, and even energy grids. Here’s how it works:
Hydrogen from Seawater – Seawater is fed into an electrolysis plant on the ship’s deck. Electricity splits the water into hydrogen and oxygen.
Power from Wind + Waves – Unlike land-based plants that rely only on solar or wind, the FAPSO uses offshore wind energy plus “baseload” wave energy. The constant motion of the ocean provides steady power, balancing the ups and downs of wind.
Ammonia Synthesis – The hydrogen is then combined with nitrogen (from the air) in a dedicated on-deck ammonia synthesis unit, forming ammonia (NH₃).
Storage in the Hull – Just like oil in an oil tanker, the liquid ammonia is cooled, condensed, and stored safely in the ship’s hull.
Offloading to Carriers – When full, the ammonia is transferred directly to specialized carriers for global transport.
In short: the ocean provides the water and energy, the FAPSO makes ammonia onboard, and then exports it — all without fossil fuels.
Why Ammonia?
Ammonia is not new. It’s been used for over a century, mostly as fertilizer. But renewable ammonia has exciting new roles:
As a carbon-free fuel for ships and power plants.
As a hydrogen carrier, since it’s easier to transport than liquid hydrogen.
As an industrial feedstock that doesn’t rely on fossil fuels.
By producing ammonia offshore, near busy shipping routes, FAPSO units can deliver this versatile fuel to where it’s needed most.
Why Floating Makes Sense
The idea of making fuels at sea may sound futuristic, but the model comes from the oil & gas world. FPSOs (Floating Production, Storage and Offloading units) have been used for decades to extract and process oil offshore.
HBA Future Energy is simply taking that proven approach and applying it to clean ammonia. The benefits are huge:
No Land Use Conflicts – Unlike onshore plants, a FAPSO doesn’t take up farmland, forest, or coastal real estate.
Flexible & Relocatable – A FAPSO can be moved to where renewable energy potential is highest, or near ports with high demand.
Energy Independence – Countries without oil or gas resources could secure clean energy supply without relying on imports from politically unstable regions.
Scalable – Each FAPSO can host a 100MW electrolysis plant, and fleets of them could be deployed worldwide.
A New Energy Frontier
HBA Future Energy isn’t alone in this race. Other companies like SwitcH2, H2Carrier, and CyaNH3 are also exploring floating ammonia production. But HBA’s twist is the clever use of wave energy as a reliable “baseload” alongside offshore wind — giving the electrolyzers a more stable power supply.
Just as oil rigs once opened up new frontiers for fossil fuels, FAPSO vessels could open a new frontier for renewable fuels.
Why This Matters for Everyone
For ordinary people, this technology isn’t just about ships and chemistry — it’s about a safer, cleaner, more reliable energy future:
No price shocks from oil or gas.
No dependence on geopolitically risky regions.
No emissions from burning fossil fuels.
A path to powering ships, industries, and even cities with clean ammonia.
If successful, FAPSO units could become the renewable refineries of the sea — floating where the energy is, and sending back clean ammonia to fuel the world.
