Is ammonia the key to marine decarbonisation?

As the shipping industry searches for scalable, zero-carbon solutions, ammonia has emerged as a strong contender among alternative fuels with bunkering infrastructure is expanding globally – that’s according to a recent blog post by Nicole Cerulli, associate, transportation & logistics, Cleentech Group.

“As technological innovation, strategic partnerships and regulatory support converge, the expansion of ammonia bunkering capacity will hopefully contribute to breaking the chicken-and-egg dynamic,” she said.

”[By this I mean the] lack of production and infrastructure limiting demand and this lack of demand in turn stalling investment in production and infrastructure currently barring the uptake of ammonia and other alternative fuels.”

Bunkering infrastructure

Ms Cerulli said that central to this shift of course is the urgent need for upgraded port infrastructure that can support safe and efficient ammonia bunkering.

Recent pilots in Rotterdam, as well as port feasibility studies in Oman, Singapore and the UK, show mounting global interest in establishing a robust ammonia supply chain.

Port infrastructure development is happening alongside strategic partnerships and new vessel orders.

Companies like AM Green and DP World are building ammonia trade routes and storage networks between India, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Europe.

Meanwhile, shipbuilders and fuel providers are accelerating plans for dual-fuel ammonia vessels, with the supply chain beginning to take shape.

Yet Ms Ceruli said that challenges remain. From training port personnel to ensuring international safety standards, ammonia’s toxicity and handling complexity make widespread adoption non-trivial.

Therefore, digital bunkering platforms and regulatory clarity will be essential to enabling a safe transition. 

Training infrastructure will be equally crucial for the industry’s transition. Ms Cerulli points to the Anglo-Eastern Maritime Academy, which has inaugurated a new LNG/ammonia bunkering station skid in Mumbai, providing hands-on training for safe and efficient fueling operations.

Ms Cerulli said that with coordinated investment and planning, ammonia bunkering could become ”the missing piece in shipping’s decarbonisation puzzle” if the world’s ports can rise to the challenge.

Read the full blog post