GCMD, SGMF to develop guidelines on the use of ammonia

The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) and the Society for Gas as a Marine Fuel (SGMF) have signed a 2-year Coalition Partnership agreement during Gastech 2023.

Under the agreement, GCMD and SGMF plan to collaborate on reshaping standards by developing guidelines on the use of ammonia as a marine fuel.

SGMF’s guidelines for LNG bunkering are widely referenced by ports and users of LNG as a marine fuel. These guidelines address specific requirements for LNG use and establish a framework of competence to safely handle LNG, including operational details for relevant ships and transfer equipment.

In April 2023, GCMD and its appointed consultant DNV Maritime Advisory, supported by Surbana Jurong and the Singapore Maritime Academy at the Singapore Polytechnic, completed a 9-month ammonia bunkering safety study. With inputs from 22 industry partners and feedback from 8 regulatory agencies, this report has deepened collective knowledge for future safe ammonia bunkering, ahead of ammonia bunker tankers and ammonia-propelled vessels becoming available.

GCMD says that findings from ammonia bunkering safety study can support SGMF and its stakeholders to develop guidelines as the maritime industry pivots towards using ammonia as a low-/zero-carbon fuel. Furthermore, learnings from GCMD’s upcoming ship-to-ship ammonia transfer pilots in port waters can also help enhance ammonia bunkering safety guidelines, the center added.