Analysis of Bunkering Procedures for Establishing Safety Regulations for Ammonia-Fueled Ships

Abstract

As environmental concerns increase globally, the International Maritime Organization has been strengthening regulations to limit pollution from ships, attracting increasing interest in ammonia as a zero-carbon marine fuel. This study aimed to establish safe bunkering procedures for ammonia-fueled ships through thermodynamic analysis. The research analyzed two bunkering scenarios, ship-to-ship and truck-to-ship, calculating the boil-off rate and return boil-off gas for each scenario. A thermal analysis showed that the ship-to-ship scenario generated 271.9 kg/h of return boil-off gas with a total heat ingress of 92.84 kW. The truck-to-ship scenario produced 243.95 kg/h of return boil-off gas with a total heat ingress of 84.4 kW. Based on these findings, comprehensive bunkering procedures were developed for both scenarios, consisting of 14 steps for ship-to-ship and 13 for truck-to-ship, addressing the unique challenges of ammonia handling. These procedures include evaporated gas recovery systems, ammonia catch systems, and nitrogen purging to minimize leakage and explosion risks. The results of this study contribute to the development of safety regulations for ammonia-fueled ships by establishing systematic operational procedures that consider the toxicity and corrosiveness of ammonia.