Alfa Laval has signed its first contract for its new ammonia fuel supply system, FCM Ammonia. The system will be installed onboard seven LPG/ammonia carriers being built in China, each featuring WinGD’s X-DF-A engine.
2025 is a critical year for the adoption of ammonia fuel in shipping. Here, we preview important upcoming meetings of the International Maritime Organization, what regulatory gaps are being filled by this work, potential candidates for decarbonization measures, and progress in engine development. All this sets the scene for incredible progress to be made in the coming years.
Already in 2025, we have seen multiple initiatives launched and resources released to contribute to seafarer training ahead of the first ammonia-fueled vessels. Here, we explore the IMO’s first training guidelines, a new bunker training facility in India, and a safe procedures manual for ammonia bunkering developed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners.
With commercial deployment scheduled to start this June, both WinGD and MAN ES’s under-development ammonia fueled engines have reported promising results across performance, ammonia safety and emissions optimisation parameters. MAN ES and MITSUI have also commenced a commercial-scale prototype test of the MITSUI-MAN ES large-bore, low-speed, two-stroke ammonia engine in Tamano, Japan.
To explore the interim fuel guidelines and discuss their implications, we were joined by the IMO and Lloyd’s Register. Properly applied, the new fuel guidelines will ensure that ammonia systems achieve safety standards comparable to those of LNG or other alternative fuel systems, with special provisions made to ensure that ammonia’s hazards are effectively managed well within acceptable risk thresholds.
North Ammonia and Fjord Base Holding will develop a renewable ammonia production facility at the Fjord Base maritime logistics hub in Florø, Norway. Yara and Azane have already received safety approvals to construct their first ammonia bunker facility at Fjord Base, consisting of one of Azane’s floating ammonia bunker barges.
The marine action plan urges the federal government to prioritize the implementation of electrolytic ammonia and methanol fuel in ocean-going vessels by 2050. A detailed action roadmap is presented, including infrastructure deployment, retrofits and upgrades to existing vessels.
The IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee has approved interim guidelines for the use of ammonia fuel onboard vessels. Ship owners will also be able to voluntarily adopt code changes allowing the use of ammonia cargo as fuel, ahead of their entry into force next July. To unpack the new guidelines, the AEA will host the IMO and Lloyd’s Register at a public webinar in January.
Meet the IMO to unpack the recently-approved interim guidelines for ammonia as a marine fuel. Ahead of the first ammonia-fueled vessels hitting the water in 2026, we learn about the development process at the IMO, what content the guidelines have, and will answer questions from the global shipping stakeholders.
Japan Engine Corporation (J-ENG) announced that it has completed test operations on its low-speed, 2-stroke engine, with installation and subsequent trial operations due to begin in April 2025. Installation will be onboard one of the first ammonia-fueled vessels to hit the water: the NYK-led midsized gas carrier project.