Singapore says ammonia requires study and 2023 pilot is not realistic

Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) has raised doubts about reports that suggest the port is about to conduct its first ammonia transfers, as part of an initiative to develop ammonia as a marine fuel. The MPA, which is responsible for regulating the port’s operations — including the largest sea bunker market in the world — insists that plans for the first pilot tests of ammonia to take place before the end of 2023 are unrealistic.

In a statement released on May 1, the MPA said, “While we welcome studies, pilot projects and collaborations that contribute to the decarbonization of the maritime sector, such efforts must be accompanied by thorough validation of the studies and calibration of models, assessment of the impact of incidents, and strict safety procedures to ensure the safety of the port, port community, and the ship’s crew.”

Although it did not name the authors of the study in question, the MPA did cite media coverage highlighting the notion that, “the risks identified for conducting (ammonia) pilots in the Port of Singapore are low or mitigable classified paves the way for a pilot project.” However, in their response to this media coverage of the recent release of a report commissioned by the Global Center for January 2022 Maritime Decarbonization (GCMD), together with DNV Maritime Advisory, Surbana Jurong and the Singapore Maritime Academy at Singapore Polytechnic appointed as advisors, the MPA refuted the idea that the first pilot tests of ammonia could take place by the end of 2023, stating that the timeline is unrealistic. The study in question identified more than 400 potential risks and assessed the technical feasibility of operational concepts, although it concluded that safety risks could be effectively mitigated.

While reaffirming its commitment to decarbonizing the maritime sector, the MPA says the latest study’s findings do not match the results of its independent efforts, which include further assessments and standard development, anticipating pilots and trials require extensive preparation, safety procedures, bunker standards, operational and risk assessments, and safety audits to ensure a successful outcome.

In addition to raising concerns about the risks associated with ammonia transfers, the MPA has noted the need for further research into ammonia’s environmental impact. It highlighted a study from the Maritime Energy and Sustainable Development Center of Excellence, a program jointly funded by the Singapore Maritime Institute and Nanyang Technological University, which concluded that more dispersion and release studies are required to improve understanding of different environmental conditions and scenarios, and to bolster available mitigation and response measures.

Despite calling for further research, the MPA is continuing with other decarbonisation efforts, including preparations for the first methanol bunkering operation at the Port of Singapore, which is set to begin in Q3 2023.

Source: News Network

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