Commissioned and published by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), a new report focused on the safety of ammonia as a marine fuel has been developed by an ABS-led consortium that included the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and the Fundación Valenciaport.
Vassilios Kroustallis, ABS EVP and CCO said: “ABS remains committed to supporting the maritime industry as it navigates future energy options such as ammonia as marine fuel. This latest report for EMSA reflects our close collaboration with industry stakeholders and academia to provide critical information to advance the discussions around low- and zero-carbon operations for the future.”
Based on insights gained from the study, the report includes recommendations that expand upon existing interim guidelines from the IMO for the safety of ships using ammonia as fuel. By way of a survey and online workshop, industry stakeholders communicated feedback that emphasised the necessity of a comprehensive understanding of ammonia’s properties to effectively mitigate the safety risks associated with its use as a marine fuel.
Prof Nikolaos P Ventikos, NTUA, added: “Exploring pathways toward more environmentally sustainable maritime transport is essential for society, but it must always be pursued with safety as the highest priority. This is why the role of organisations such as EMSA is so important. By funding rigorous research and making its results publicly available, they enable informed decision-making across the entire maritime community. For NTUA, as a university deeply committed to open science, it is particularly meaningful to facilitate and carry out risk assessment studies, such as Hazop, that are traditionally confidential.”
Josep Sanz-Argent, Director of Energy Transition and Sustainability, Fundación Valenciaport, said: “Ammonia will play a key role in the decarbonisation of the maritime sector and ports must prepare for bunkering operations to be carried out safely within their jurisdiction. The results of the study will contribute significantly to preparing that future.”
The collection of EMSA reports on safety of ammonia for use in ships can be found here.
Image: Ammonia shipping (source: EMSA)
