Singapore working to address safety concerns around ammonia bunkering

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) says recent workshop discussions have contributed towards developing standards and procedures for safe ammonia bunker operations, and how to deal with emergencies and train crew.

PHOTO: Ammonia storage tank (left) in Singapore. Vopak

"These are some of the preparations needed before ammonia bunkering can be carried out in the Port of Singapore," the MPA tells ENGINE.

The MPA and a large group of other government agencies hosted a three-day workshop on “Managing accidents involving ammonia as fuel for ships” in the Port of Singapore last month.

The workshop was attended by more than 70 participants from 12 countries, including port authorities, emergency response agencies, maritime classification societies, research institutes and knowledge partners, fuel suppliers, as well as shipping lines and charterers.

The MPA is working on projects to facilitate low- and zero-carbon bunker fuel pilots and trials this decade. The pilots will be assessed on how they perform in terms of safety and end-to-end bunker operations.

Ammonia's toxicity has been a key point of concern that needs to be addressed before it can be bunkered by vessels. Earlier this month, classification society DNV said that seafarers will need to undergo considerable training to handle new fuels like methanol or ammonia.

Two hypothetical scenarios were explored during the workshop:

• An ammonia leak in a fuel handling room of a VLCC
• An accident during shore-to-ship bunkering

Fuel handling rooms are among the riskiest areas onboard ammonia-powered vessels, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center’s ship design manager Thomas McKenney said at a webinar organised by the Global Maritime Forum last December.

On the fuel supply side, the MPA and the Energy Market Authority of Singapore launched an Expression of Interest (EOI) last December, for proposals to build, own and operate low- or zero-carbon ammonia bunkering infrastructure and technologies in the port. They are now evaluating the proposals.

Earlier this month, MPA clarified comments from the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) and said Singapore's first ammonia bunker trials are unlikely to happen this year.

By Tuhin Roy

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