New report on the status of zero-emission shipping fuels finds that methanol is now ready for low-carbon operation and ammonia is now ready for piloting.
Both ammonia and methanol have moved from theory to reality as zero-emission shipping fuels, according to a new report from the Global Maritime Forum’s Getting to Zero Coalition.
The report, From pilots to practice: Methanol and ammonia as shipping fuels, based on interviews with over 40 influential companies and organisations, finds that both fuels are now ‘ready’ – methanol for low-carbon operation and ammonia for piloting, representing a significant increase in maturity since the report’s first edition in 2020.
However, the report warns that the fuels require a concerted push if they are to be mature enough to rapidly scale from around 2030, in line with the industry’s targets.
The key area that must be addressed is the fuel supply chain – in the case of methanol, enhancing the availability of green molecules; for ammonia, validating and rolling out commercial ammonia bunkering at key ports.
Jesse Fahnestock, director of decarbonisation at the Global Maritime Forum, said: “We have seen excellent progress in the development of zero-emission fuels and technologies over recent years, with methanol and ammonia having now shifted from potential solutions towards initial scale and proof of concept. However, we are only at the start of our journey and technology readiness is not enough by itself.”
Fahnestock also highlighted that in order to scale zero-emission fuels at the pace required, action is needed from the International Maritime Organization, national policymakers and the industry to create the right enabling conditions as this will be just as vital as the development of the technology itself.
The full report can be found here.
