Ammonia investigated as a bunker fuel by group of shipping companies

A group of companies has come together to investigate the potential for ammonia to become a widespread bunker fuel as the shipping industry seeks to eliminate its greenhouse gas emissions. 

The group, whose members include classification society Bureau Veritas, engineering company MAN Energy Solutions and shipping company Star Bulk among many others, held a workshop in Copenhagen in February examining the safety implications of using ammonia. Ammonia is one of the future fuels being considered by the shipping industry as it seeks to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. 

Panos Koutsourakis, Global Technology Leader for Sustainable Shipping at Bureau Veritas, said: “We need to understand if and how the associated risks can be managed to merit further practical and commercial development – especially confirming the potential for stable combustion and NOx emissions. Furthermore, potential availability is not yet assured.”

The next steps for the group will include addressing operational hazards and looking more deeply at conceptual designs based on different vessel types, Bureau Veritas said.

For more information visit www.bureauveritas.co.uk

27th April 2020