DNV’s new report, Ammonia in Shipping: Tracing the Emergence of a New Fuel, addresses the key barriers to the uptake of ammonia and outlines a two-phase pathway for its widespread adoption in shipping. The first phase would see the building, fuelling, and operation of a pioneering ammonia-powered fleet consisting of a few dozen vessels, crewed by a few hundred competent personnel, and bunkering a few million tonnes of ammonia from a dozen ports. The second phase would include scale up with global infrastructure, production and IMO regulations. 

Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO of DNV Maritime said: “The groundwork for ammonia as a fuel is being laid, and the orderbook proves it’s no longer just a theoretical fuel. Ammonia’s toxicity and high cost remain a challenge. With targeted financial support mechanisms for a pioneering fleet, supply and infrastructure developments and robust safety regulations, we can progress. While we have seen great progress recently, the next years will determine the role of blue and green ammonia in the future fuel mix.”

According to the report, ammonia as ship fuel has made measurable progress since 2020 across regulation, technology, and infrastructure. Safety frameworks have evolved from risk-based approvals to interim guidelines by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and annually updated class rules. Technical readiness is advancing with 39 ammonia-fuelled vessels on order, commercial engines available, and the first use of the fuel demonstrated. Production of blue and green ammonia is currently low, but confirmed plans in place will see it rise to 14 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) by 2030. Bunkering infrastructure is also emerging, with trials completed in key ports including Singapore and Rotterdam.

Scaling up use of ammonia as ship fuel requires a framework of standardized solutions that can be easily adopted across the industry,” said Linda Hammer, Principal Consultant at DNV and lead author. “The current risk-based approval framework must be replaced by prescriptive regulations mandated by the IGF Code, production needs to be increased, and more ports must be able to supply green and blue ammonia – requiring harmonization of port safety standards and dissemination of lessons learned. Standardized training is also essential to ensure sufficient competent crew.”

Source: DNV, https://www.dnv.com/news/2025/new-report-ammonia-shows-notable-progress-as-maritime-fuel-but-barriers-remain/