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Are ammonia-fuelled ships a viable alternative option for greener maritime operations?
18/9/2024
10 min read
Feature
Given the significant impact of maritime operations on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a range of alternative fuel options are being considered, including ammonia-fuelled ships. Toby Clark considers the pros and cons of using ammonia as fuel for shipping operations, which nevertheless carries recognised safety risks.
Around 80–90% of the world’s goods is transported by ship, and shipping accounts for nearly 3% of global GHG emissions. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates that in 2022 global shipping generated 858mn t/y of CO2 emissions, compared with 739mn t/y of CO2 from air transport.
In 2023 the International Maritime Organization (IMO) committed to reducing the carbon intensity of international shipping by at least 40% by 2030, with zero or near-zero GHG emission technologies representing at least 5% of the energy used. The long-term goal is for the global shipping sector to become carbon-neutral by 2050. It’s a big ambition.
A surprising contender has turned up as a way of reducing carbon emissions from shipping: using ammonia as a fuel. Ammonia (NH3) is currently a widely-used industrial chemical, where most of the 235mn t/y manufactured goes to making fertiliser, despite significant health hazards.