Ammonia as Fuel – Competencies and Training
With the need to reduce carbon emissions, vessel owners and operators are looking to the use of alternative fuels to aid with their emissions reduction efforts. Ammonia as a marine fuel has gained particular interest due to its zero-carbon potential and wide availability. However, given the safety risks of ammonia, notably toxicity, flammability, and corrosiveness, it is imperative for the shipping industry to develop new safety measures and standards for ammonia’s usage as a shipping fuel.
While current frameworks outlined in the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) International Convention on Standards of Training, Competency and Watchkeeping for Seafarers Code (STCW) for seafarer training provide a foundation, they fall short of addressing the unique challenges posed by ammonia.
The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS) and the Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub (The Decarb Hub), a joint initiative between the Lloyd’s Register Group and Lloyd’s Register Foundation, have released a set of reports under the “Ammonia as Fuel – Competencies and Training” project, which outline a roadmap for the industry to prepare seafarers for ammonia-fuelled ship operations. The reports detail minimum regulatory requirements, basic and advanced competencies for seafarers, and role-specific training for onboard and shore-based personnel.
The project marks Phase 3 of partnership, which kicked off with a joint study, “Recommendations for Design and Operation of Ammonia-Fuelled Vessels based on Multi-disciplinary Risk Analysis” to identify vessel design and operational measures that would reduce ammonia risks to be “as low as reasonably practicable” (ALARP), and a follow up study, “Human Factors Considerations: Ammonia Fuel End-of-Stage Report” identifying human factors considerations that should be addressed onboard vessels to prepare for ammonia fuel use.
