SafeSBU green-fuel framework links port safety, bunkering and vessel operations

Summary

A new SafeSBU guideline provides ports and maritime stakeholders with a shared framework for introducing methanol, ammonia and hydrogen safely. Developed through a Danish research partnership, it connects storage, bunkering and onboard use with risk assessment, workforce competence, emergency preparedness and organisational readiness, while allowing adaptation to local operating conditions.

Common approach covers the port-to-ship interface

The SafeSBU green-fuel framework brings fuel storage, bunkering and vessel use into a coordinated safety approach as ports prepare for alternative marine fuels.

Developed by DBI and FORCE Technology with research and industry partners, the guideline is the final output of the Safe Storage, Bunkering and Usage of Green Fuel project.

It provides a common reference for port authorities, terminal owners, fuel suppliers, shipowners, regulators, emergency services and training providers.

The approach combines hazard identification, risk evaluation and technical, operational and organisational safeguards. It also addresses governance, competence and public engagement.

Its purpose is to help organisations select measures appropriate to their activities and local conditions. The publication offers practical guidance rather than prescribing an identical infrastructure or operating solution for every port.

Guidance supplements existing compliance requirements

The 114-page publication explains that compliance with legislation, codes and standards remains the foundation of safe operations. Systematic risk assessment supplements that foundation where emerging fuels or operating concepts are not fully addressed by prescriptive requirements.

Its scope includes port storage, intermediate handling and fuel transfer from trucks, terminals, barges and other shoreside arrangements to vessels.

The framework traces identified hazards through to safeguards, procedures, workforce requirements and evidence demonstrating how risks are managed.

This is relevant where responsibility passes between organisations during a fuel transfer. Terminal systems, bunker suppliers and shipboard arrangements must work together, with clearly understood interfaces.

The guideline contains dedicated sections on bunkering, storage and use. Storage guidance emphasises containment and material compatibility, while the usage section places particular attention on competence and training.

It therefore supports preparation for approval and operation without replacing the applicable requirements imposed by authorities.

Readiness extends beyond tanks and transfer equipment

SafeSBU also incorporates the Port Readiness Level for Marine Fuels framework, enabling organisations to assess their preparedness and identify gaps before progressing towards routine operations.

The publication includes emergency planning, shutdown and isolation, protection of personnel and the public, drills and recovery arrangements.

Governance sections address decision rights, regulatory interfaces, documentation and management of change. Together, these topics recognise that equipment installation alone does not establish operational readiness.

For operators developing new bunkering services, the practical implication is a need to coordinate infrastructure, procedures, personnel and emergency arrangements throughout the project.

This interpretation follows the framework’s integrated structure: readiness depends on how the components function together, as well as on their individual availability.

Research programme included training and public dialogue

The project formed part of MissionGreenFuels, Denmark’s partnership supporting sustainable fuel development in sectors including shipping and aviation.

Its original objectives included producing comprehensive guidance, proposing training for personnel handling alternative fuels and examining how safety influences public perceptions.

Ports were identified as an interface between land and sea, fuel suppliers and users, and industrial activity and neighbouring communities. The programme therefore considered both operational requirements and the relationships needed to introduce new activities.

Training was intended to cover workers involved in storage, bunkering stations and onboard fuel use. Public engagement was designed to facilitate discussion between industry and communities about safety concerns.

These objectives explain why the final framework extends beyond engineering specifications. It addresses the people and organisations involved in operating and overseeing the infrastructure.

Earlier work mapped fuel-specific hazards

The guideline follows other Danish research into alternative-fuel safety. In December 2025, DBI presented findings from its separate METAFUEL project, which mapped methanol, ammonia and hydrogen hazards across the fuel-handling chain.

That project developed a scenario-based decision-support concept linking fuel properties, shipboard zones, regulatory requirements and identified knowledge gaps.

Users could examine areas such as bunkering, storage, fuel preparation and engine rooms. The concept then identified relevant safety considerations, potential risk-reduction functions and regulatory gaps requiring further evidence.

DBI highlighted ammonia toxicity, the difficulty of detecting methanol flames and hazards associated with pressurised hydrogen releases. Research included ammonia-leak simulations at the Port of Rønne, methanol pool-fire experiments and hydrogen jet-flame studies.

METAFUEL and SafeSBU are distinct initiatives. The earlier work provides context for the research effort underpinning practical guidance as alternative fuels move into maritime applications.

The latest publication’s contribution is to organise safety considerations into a shared approach that ports and their partners can apply when developing services and preparing personnel for everyday operations.

FAQs

What is SafeSBU?

A project and guideline addressing safe storage, bunkering and use of green fuels in port facilities.

Which fuels does the framework cover?

Methanol, ammonia and hydrogen-related fuel systems.

Who can use the guidance?

Ports, terminals, bunker suppliers, shipowners, authorities, emergency services and training providers.

Does it replace regulations or approvals?

No. It supplements applicable legislation, standards and approval requirements with a structured risk-based approach.

What does the readiness assessment address?

Infrastructure, operational controls, competence, governance and emergency preparedness, alongside other requirements for routine fuel operations.