Air Products (NYSE:APD), the global leader in the production of gas separation and purification membranes, has announced a milestone – there are now 2,000 seagoing vessels worldwide utilizing membrane-based nitrogen generation systems from Air Products Membrane Solutions.

Air Products was the first company to install a membrane-based nitrogen generation system onboard a ship in 1984. Today, ships from over 50 countries are utilizing Air Products Membrane Solutions’ nitrogen generators designed and manufactured at Air Products’ facility in Norway.

“This is a tremendous milestone for Air Products Membrane Solutions. Almost four decades after pioneering this technology, Air Products continues to innovate and support the energy transition by providing membrane systems to alternative fuel ships, enabling a cleaner future,” said Dr. Erin Sorensen, General Manager, Air Products Membrane Solutions.

Air Products Membrane Solutions’ membrane-based nitrogen generation systems enable large ships to efficiently switch from traditional heavy fuels to cleaner alternative fuels while at sea, resulting in reduced emissions during the transport of goods.

Air Products Membrane Solutions specializes in the development of hollow fiber membrane separators and systems for onsite gas generation. Air Products designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets a full portfolio of PRISM® Membrane Separators, Marine Systems, and Engineered-to-Order Systems. Air Products’ systems are also designed to create more sustainable energy sources and raise productivity across a variety of industries and applications.

The number of ships using marine-based membrane systems has grown markedly in recent years. As the world’s most experienced supplier of marine-based membrane systems, Air Products Membrane Solutions engineers and fabricates turnkey systems for shipboard and land-based applications including alternative fuel systems, chemical tankers, oil platforms, and liquified natural gas (LNG) applications.

https://www.airproducts.com/company/news-center/2023/11/1130-air-products-membrane-solutions-membrane-based-nitrogen-generation-system-milestone

Air Products Membrane Solutions recently received an order to install nitrogen membrane systems aboard fifteen dual fuel tanker ships. These ships use a combination of traditional fuel sources and more sustainable liquified natural gas (LNG) fuels. The low flash point of LNG plus the transitioning of fuels requires the presence of nitrogen and its purging & inert qualities.

As the world’s most experienced marine-specialized membrane system supplier, we combined decades of engineering knowledge with our proactive aftermarket support, which ultimately led to winning this opportunity.  

Over the past few years, we have dedicated attention to dual fuel ships as an area of sustainability-related growth. The team is proud to provide nitrogen technology that supports this transition to a greener shipping industry. Read more about the use of nitrogen membrane systems in hybrid propulsion ships in Air Products’ 2022 Sustainability Report.