Technology group Wärtsilä’s new patented and proprietary technology Wärtsilä Ammonia Release Mitigation Systems  has received Approval in Principle from classification society DNV. The approval in principle covers its use on ships fuelled by ammonia with the DNV Class notation gas fuelled ammonia or on gas tankers fuelled by ammonia with the DNV Class notation GF NH3.

This innovative system mitigates the risks associated with future fuels, such as ammonia, which can be hazardous to both health and the environment unless handled and stored with great care. With WARMS, typical emissions comprise nitrogen (N2) and water (H2O), with ammonia (NH3) emissions less than 30 ppm. In fact, in most cases NH3 emissions are close to 0 ppm.

“Ammonia can be an important part of the future maritime fuel mix, but we need to ensure that with every step forward, safety is at the top of our list of considerations. That is why DNV is so pleased to be able to award this AiP to Wärtsilä for their innovative new Ammonia Release Mitigation Systems (WARMS). With the Gas Fuelled Ammonia notation, we set out to offer a practical path for realising ammonia as a zero-carbon fuel option. And we are delighted that Wärtsilä is working with us to demonstrate to their customers that this solution is being developed in line with the most technically advanced rule set in the maritime industry,” says DNV – Dalibor Bukarica, Head of Section, Piping Systems & Alternative Fuels at DNV.

In announcing the launch of WARMS, Ole Fjeld, Product Line Manager, Inert Gas Systems Offshore, Wärtsilä Gas Solutions said: “We can assume that regulations will become even more stringent as ‘best available technologies’ are developed to enable the global acceptance of future fuels. WARMS is designed to comply with both existing and anticipated legislation, and is an important element within Wärtsilä’s decarbonisation journey.”

WARMS is designed for accurate and continuous monitoring of emissions. It features staged and controlled combustion, minimal energy consumption and waste, and a compact footprint. WARMS offers a green and safe alternative to venting pure ammonia, diluting it with air, or bubbling it in hazardous dirty water tanks.

Wärtsilä has been developing solutions for protecting ships, their crews, cargoes, and the environment through inert gas systems for more than 60 years.

Wärtsilä Gas Solutions is a market leader with innovative systems and lifecycle solutions for the gas value chain. Our main focus areas are the handling of gas in seaborne transport (storage, fuel, transfer and BOG management), gas to power, liquefaction and biogas solutions. We help our customers on their journey towards a sustainable future through a focus on lifecycle performance, innovation and digitalisation.