A survey of 2,000 maritime workers led by the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS) has found that more than half of seafarers and ashore personnel would be willing to work with ammonia, but highlighted that acceptance of ammonia as a marine fuel is conditional on comprehensive training and certification.
Over half (58.6%) of the total respondents said they would be willing to sail on or work with ammonia-fuelled vessels, while 24% were unsure and 12% would not accept.
The proportion of respondents who were willing to work with ammonia was 59% for seafarers and 57% for ashore personnel.
Conducted between February and April 2024, the survey covered a range of ages, positions, shipping segments, and levels of experience with gaseous fuels or ammonia as cargo, the MMMCZCS said. Half of respondents were under 40 years old, and 72% were in seafaring roles.
60% of respondents expressed safety concerns regarding ammonia-fuelled vessels, with toxicity and risks to human health identified as their primary concerns.
Survey responses emphasised the desire for more comprehensive training, particularly on safety-related issued such as on leakage management, emergency response, and risk analysis, but also on new engine procedures and maintenance, regulation, and gas as fuel.
Comments collected during the survey show that ‘comprehensive training is the main request from the maritime community regarding ammonia as a marine fuel,’ the report notes.
‘Important work still remains to enable safe implementation of ammonia on board vessels, especially in terms of training, systems safety, and designs,’ the MMMCZCS study concludes. ‘A failure to adequately address these areas in line with the expectations from the maritime community may create barriers to ammonia as a marine fuel. Developing the right regulations and training requirements, as well as demonstrating safer systems and designs, will facilitate acceptance of ammonia among those who will work with this fuel in the future.’
