The 2023 International Maritime Organization (IMO) GHG Strategy aims for shipping to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, with increasing adoption of low-/ zero-carbon fuels as a key lever.
 
Among the slate of promising future fuels are low-carbon variants of ammonia.
 
While ammonia’s important role in fertilizer production and industrial applications means that supply chains and infrastructure exist, deploying it as a marine fuel presents a distinct set of challenges. This new use case necessitates additional infrastructure, new supply chains, comprehensive safety standards, enhanced crew competency and operational guidelines for safe handling.

The increased frequency of handling that is expected when ammonia is used a marine fuel will require a higher level of attention to ensure safe operations due to its toxicity and corrosivity properties. Its use is further hampered by its lower volumetric energy density compared to conventional fossil fuels, requiring larger fuel storage capacity or more frequent refuelling. Regulations for handling ammonia as a marine fuel are still under development.

To help lower the adoption barriers of ammonia as a shipping fuel, we have already completed a safety study identifying the risks associated with piloting ammonia bunkering and planning ammonia transfer trials at anchorage in key ports. These trials aim to increase crew competence and stakeholder confidence, helping to ready the ecosystem for eventual ammonia bunkering.

While shipowners are likely to meet their 2030 target by incorporating biofuels and LNG in their fuel mix and deploying a combination of technical and operational measures, meeting the 2040 and the net-zero 2050 targets will require significant uptake of zero-carbon fuels. 
 
With zero-carbon fuel availability uncertain and cost premium high, shipowners are increasingly looking to Onboard Carbon Capture and Storage (OCCS)* as a key interim solution. Our 2023 Global Maritime Decarbonisation Survey revealed that 60% of respondents across all segments and fleet sizes see OCCS as important to achieving net-zero emissions.
 
But the adoption of OCCS faces many hurdles including high CAPEX for shipboard-compatible systems within limited space, OPEX owing to additional fuel needed to operate the energy-intensive system and justification on the amount of CO₂ captured. Further adding to these challenges, guidelines for safe offloading and utilising captured CO₂ currently do not exist. 
 
To help close operational gaps, we have launched a pilot to demonstrate end-to-end OCCS at scale entailing a front-end engineering design (FEED) study of a OCCS system, along with a concurrent CO₂ offloading study, working with various ports, to understand the challenges and opportunities of offloading captured CO₂.
 
*Previously referred to as Shipboard Carbon Capture (SBCC) in our communications materials.