IMO: Unpacking interim guidelines for ammonia fuel use

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is preparing to approve its first-ever interim guidelines for ammonia as a marine fuel, marking a major step toward safe and standardized ammonia fuel use across the maritime industry. Following discussions at the IMO’s Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC) in September, these interim guidelines have been sent to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) for final approval at its upcoming session on December 2-6. In January, we will unpack these guidelines, including an overview of the development process, their general content, and to answer your questions.

The interim guidelines come at a critical time. With the commercialization of various ammonia-fueled engines in 2024, including the first engine delivery earlier this year, the industry is rapidly evolving. These engines are designed to meet IMO Tier II NOx emission limits without a DeNOx system, and can achieve Tier III compliance with one. Ammonia fuel will be stored in Type C tanks on the vessel deck, delivered through a dedicated ammonia fuel supply system (AFSS) and managed by an ammonia release mitigation system (ARMS) post-engine. Additionally, classification societies have recently granted approval in principle for unmanned ammonia engine rooms, signaling further advances in safe ammonia fuel handling. This all builds towards the first ammonia-fueled vessels hitting the water in 2026.

To discuss and unpack the newly-approved guidelines, the webinar features Antti Nironen (Technical Officer, IMO) and Liam Blackmore (Principal Engineer, Lloyd’s Register), moderated by the Ammonia Energy Association. Join us on January 9 @ 4PM CET (10AM EST) for this insightful discussion, and be sure to submit your questions for our speakers in advance!