ClassNK expands guidelines to include ammonia

‘Guidelines for Ships Using Alternative Fuels’ now includes advice for ships using ammonia, building on the safety requirements previously issued in ‘Guidelines for Ships Using Low-Flashpoint Fuels’ for ships using LPG, methanol or ethanol.

Ammonia has captured attention as a zero carbon fuel but its use is not without challenges. Appropriate safety measures are required owing to its toxicity and corrosiveness, but specific international standards for its use as a marine fuel have not yet been established.

Included in the new guidelines therefore are the requirements for installation, controls and safety devices of an ammonia-fuelled ship to help minimise risks to the ship, crew and the environment.

In addition, ClassNK has revised the existing ‘LNG-Ready’ notation to ‘Alternative Fuel Ready’, and outlined the requirements for the new notation indicating that a ship is designed and partially equipped for future use of alternative fuels.

The guidelines are available to download via ClassNK’s website for those registered for the ClassNK ‘My Page’ service.