The implementation of alternatives to conventional fossil-based fuels is key to the decarbonization of the global shipping industry. Ammonia is one of the promising fuels for zero-emissions ocean transport. However, using ammonia as a shipping fuel involves safety hazards: primarily toxicity, but also combustible and flammability risks in confined spaces where sufficient oxygen is present. Therefore, it is crucial to understand these risks and the safeguards that can be implemented to mitigate them.

At MMMCZCS, we have pioneered an innovative multi-disciplinary approach to assess and address the ammonia-related onboard safety risks to a ship’s crew. This project is a collaboration with the Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonization Hub (MDH), with contributions from other partners.

The 2023 report ''Recommendations for Design and Operation of Ammonia-Fueled Vessels Based on Multi-disciplinary Risk Analysis'' outlines the results of this project.

The 2025 publication ''Ammonia as Fuel - Competencies and Training'' consists of three reports that have systematically identified competency and training requirements that will support industry stakeholders with the safe implementation of ammonia as a marine fuel.

There are several initiatives in the industry developing bunkering standards for ammonia. However, lack of coordination among these work streams and lack of alignment of knowledge creates a risk that competing standards may be developed. This would lead to an increase in complexity and potentially interface cost, as well as a delay in the implementation of ammonia as maritime fuel.

On this topic, MMMCZCS has contributed to the development of a unified set of bunkering guidelines in collaboration with SGMF. The Ammonia as a Marine Fuel: Safety & Operational Guidelines – Bunkering publication was published October 2024 and is a key resource in making ammonia a practical and safe option for marine fuel.

MMMCZCS undertaken a survey of over 2,000 respondents across the maritime community to better understand their perceptions, concerns, and requests relating to ammonia as a marine fuel. The survey reached respondents covering a range of different ages, positions, vessel segments, and level of experience with gaseous fuels or ammonia as cargo. Over half (58.6%) of the total respondents agreed that they would be willing to sail on or work with ammonia-fueled vessels, while 24% were unsure and 12% reported that they would not be willing. More specifically, 59% of seafarers and 57% of ashore personnel who responded to the survey agreed that they would be willing to work with ammonia.

While more than half of the respondents were willing to sail on or work with ammonia-fueled vessels, these respondents nevertheless raised some specific concerns, especially regarding training and safety.

To guide the regulatory process around developing interim guidelines of ammonia as a fuel, the MMMCZCS mapped the technical solutions available to prevent and mitigate risks of handling ammonia onboard highlighting options for inherently safer ship designs.

Demonstrating that ammonia can be safely bunkered at commercial ports is a prerequisite for the fuel's uptake at scale. Ports face major safety, regulatory, operational, and coordination challenges when introducing ammonia as fuel and need a structured way to prove operations can be done safely while aligning stakeholders and meeting regulatory requirements. Shore-side infrastructure, port safety frameworks, and operational procedures must be validated in real conditions before the first ammonia-fuelled vessels enter service — expected from 2026–2027 and onwards.

MMMCZCS actively participates in demonstration projects designed to mature ammonia bunkering networks across key global ports and accelerate global port permitting:

• MAGPIE
  MMMCZCS contributes to a set of work packages within the EU-funded MAGPIE project (sMArt Green Ports as Integrated Efficient multimodal hubs), led by the Port of Rotterdam (PoR) with approximately 50 consortium members from across the EU. More specifically, MMMCZCS has been work package leader on the Ammonia Bunker Demonstration, designated as Demo 4 under Work Package 5 of the MAGPIE project.

  A key milestone for this work package was reached on 12 April 2025, when the first ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering pilot was successfully conducted at the APM Terminal, Maasvlakte 2 in Rotterdam — transferring 800 m³ of refrigerated liquid ammonia at −33°C between two vessels, safely and without any ammonia release. The demonstration validated the Port of Rotterdam's safety framework for ammonia bunkering and advanced the port's readiness to Port Readiness Level (PRL) 7, enabling bunkering on a project basis.