(www.MaritimeCyprus.com) Among the alternative fuel options, anhydrous ammonia has drawn a lot of interest from the marine industry for its potential to become a long-term solution for decarbonisation. As a carbon-free substance, ammonia is being investigated as a promising future marine fuel that could contribute meeting the objectives of 2023 IMO GHG Reduction Strategy by offering a zero, or a near-zero, carbon solution on a tank-to-wake basis and for green ammonia near-zero can be met on a well-to-wake basis. Notwithstanding the many benefits, there are also significant risks associated with using ammonia that need to be properly considered to support legislation and safeguards for both the ship and health of persons onboard. The introduction of ammonia in fuel systems, the engine room and the engine itself creates potential risks that need to be properly addressed.
The first part, is focused on Ammonia properties, Regulations and Accidents.
The second part of the study included the identification of critical equipment and failure modes and a qualitative evaluation of the reliability of ammonia systems, as well as the construction of several reliability models based on information from the application of LPG modified to consider ammonia fuel applications.
The third part of the study describes the hazard and operability analysis of a generic ammonia fuel supply system, from the fuel tank to the internal combustion engine, complemented by consequence modelling of potential ammonia leaks through CFD simulation.
EMSA has published the third, fourth, and fifth parts of its study series on the safety of ammonia as a fuel in shipping. The overall aim of the study – which started in 2023 - is to assess the safety of the use of ammonia in the maritime industry, with the first part of the study series focusing on an analysis of ammonia’s unique hazards, including toxicity, corrosiveness, and solubility in water.
The fourth and fifth parts describe the results of similar HAZID exercises on the use of ammonia as fuel in specific ship designs – a Newcastlemax dry bulk carrier and a mega ro-ro respectively – including the risk assessment of scenarios involving simultaneous operations in ports.
The series has been developed concurrently with the now-approved IMO Guidelines on the Safe Use of Ammonia as Marine Fuel (MSC.1/Circ.1687). The reports underscore the necessity of a more profound mutual understanding about the system’s boundaries and requirements for the safe integration of systems across diverse technology providers. This groundbreaking work offers a valuable reference for stakeholders engaged in addressing this crucial challenge.
For more details, download below the parts 2 - 5 published by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA):
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| Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 |
Source: EMSA
For more Guidance papers and research on Ammonia as a Maritime Fuel, click HERE
