IMO to draft interim seafarer training guidelines for alternative fuels
The IMO’s sub-committee on Human Element, Training, and Watchkeeping (HTW) has agreed to draft interim guidelines for training seafarers working on alternative-fuelled ships.
PHOTO: Fortescue's ammonia-capable vessel, Fortescue Green Pioneer, trialled ammonia as a bunker fuel in Singapore. Fortescue
The committee will draft a set of generic interim guidelines applicable to the entire industry, and an additional set of specific interim guidelines for individual fuels and technologies.
It has already started developing interim guidelines for seafarers working on methanol- and ethanol-powered vessels.
Next, the committee will draft interim guidelines for training seafarers on ships using ammonia and LPG as bunker fuels. The guidelines will also cover training for battery-and hydrogen-powered ships, including those using fuel cells.
The sub-committee's progress report will be presented at its next meeting (HTW 12).
Need for specialised ammonia training
Recently, a Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS) report highlighted the need for specialised training to address the specific challenges of handling ammonia as a bunker fuel.
Given ammonia’s toxicity and chemical properties, seafarers will require comprehensive training to manage its risks effectively, the MMMCZCS report explained.
The authors urged the IMO to consider the risks associated with handling requirements, safety protocols and emergency procedures when drafting the interim guidelines. They also recommended giving equal priority to both onshore and offshore training and incorporating practical simulations, as ammonia-fuelled vessels are not yet in operation.
In addition, the report called on flag states with ammonia-capable vessels to implement standardised seafarer certification programmes, supported by comprehensive training materials to ensure safe handling.
Finally, it suggested that vessel operators, shipowners and ship managers update operational and maintenance procedures related to bunkering, storage, transfer and fuel management to align with ammonia’s safety requirements.
By Konica Bhatt
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