Maersk Tankers has taken a conditional step towards operating ammonia-fuelled Very Large Ammonia Carriers after its retrofit scheme, RIPPLE, was selected for support from the European Union Innovation Fund, sources indicated on 21 October 2026.
The announcement says the selection is subject to the finalisation of a grant agreement. If completed, the RIPPLE project would fit vessels with dual-fuel engines configured to run on ammonia as a marine fuel, aligning with Maersk Tankers' stated ambition to power a new fleet of Very Large Ammonia Carriers, or VLACs, with ammonia.
The project is described as a retrofit initiative, indicating an intention to adapt existing propulsion systems rather than deploy a wholly new engine architecture. The planned dual-fuel capability would allow engines to operate on conventional fuel or ammonia, providing operational flexibility while enabling use of ammonia where available.
What the RIPPLE selection covers
According to the report, the EU Innovation Fund selection marks an important milestone for RIPPLE. The selection does not yet represent a completed award and depends on the formal grant contract being signed.
The technical core of the scheme is the installation of dual-fuel engines capable of using ammonia. The proposal would therefore address both fuel compatibility and the mechanical and control changes necessary to permit safe ammonia handling and combustion when chosen as the fuel.
Why the selection is significant
Support from the EU Innovation Fund would provide a level of financial backing that can de-risk early-stage adoption of alternative fuels. Maersk Tankers has framed the development as an important forward step toward running VLACs on ammonia, a fuel that several stakeholders see as a candidate for deep decarbonisation in some ship types.
The announcement refrains from setting firm dates or outlining exact fleets, quantities or partners. At this stage, the selection signals regulatory and funding endorsement rather than an operational guarantee.
Ammonia presents a different set of technical and operational challenges to conventional marine fuels. Its properties require changes not only to engines but to fuel storage, transfer and safety systems, and the RIPPLE retrofit is presented as a means of resolving some of those engineering and operational questions through practical installation and testing.
If the grant agreement is completed, the project would test the viability of converting vessels to run on ammonia while retaining the option to use conventional marine fuels. That approach could offer shipowners a pathway to lower-carbon operation without committing immediately to single-fuel designs.
The selection also highlights how public funding mechanisms are being used to support maritime fuel transitions. The report identifies the EU Innovation Fund’s involvement as central to advancing the RIPPLE proposal from concept toward implementation, but it is explicit that the selection remains conditional.
The source for these details was a The report dated 21 October 2026. That piece sets out Maersk Tankers’ ambition and the conditional nature of the EU Innovation Fund selection, without providing further contractual particulars.
The coming weeks and months will be the decisive period for RIPPLE’s standing, as final grant paperwork is settled and technical planning proceeds. Until the grant agreement is formalised, the project will remain at the threshold between planning and funded demonstration.
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