Industry collaboration to develop guidance on the safe use of Ammonia as a fuel
Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping form new project with A.P. Moller-Maersk, MAN Energy Solutions, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, NYK Line and Total to support shipping’s transition to zero-carbon, according to Lloyd’s Register's release.
The Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping have joined forces in a new project to develop guidance around the safe use of Ammonia as a fuel to support the shipping industry’s drive towards a decarbonised future. Industry partners involved in the project include A.P. Moller-Maersk, MAN Energy Solutions, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, NYK Line and Total.
Ammonia as a fuel is heavily debated as a suitable long-term solution for maritime as the industry transitions towards a zero- or low carbon value chain. Green ammonia can be produced from renewable power by electrolysis of H2O, ultimately making it a zero-carbon fuel. However, due to the extreme toxicity of the fuel, it is critical to address the safety issues of Ammonia in order to mitigate risks to people, assets and the environment.
The overarching purpose of the project is to understand and guide the safe use of Ammonia as a fuel on board ships. Part of this will include developing a mature and detailed understanding of risk and safety concerns, which will be assessed through a Quantitative Risk Assessment methodology in phase one of the project. This will ultimately lead to the development of best practices for safeguards in design and arrangements when using Ammonia as a shipping fuel.
The project will also determine the risk of fatality from unintended releases of Ammonia, as well as determine the risk contribution of key equipment and spaces dedicated to Ammonia storage. To illustrate the potential for risk mitigation measures, the project partners will assess alternate vessel designs, optimised to be fuelled by Ammonia.
Funded by the participating partners, the project will be managed by the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping and is expected to run throughout 2021.
