IMO approval clears path for ammonia-fuelled ships with new safety guidelines

The guidelines offer a clearer pathway to manage the specific risks of ammonia, particularly its toxicity and handling requirements.

New safety guidelines for the use of ammonia as fuel on gas carriers have been approved at the International Maritime Organization’s  Maritime Safety Committee, marking a significant step towards the commercial deployment of ammonia-fuelled vessels.

The guidelines, developed through collaboration between Lloyd’s Register (LR), the Belgian Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport (FPS Mobility) and gas shipping operator EXMAR, provide a practical framework to manage the safety risks associated with ammonia.

By drawing directly on operational experience and regulatory input, the guidance sets out how ammonia can be handled safely on-board and supporting early projects as they move towards execution.

Building on EXMAR’s and Lloyd’s Register’s experience in mid-size gas carrier shipbuilding, the Directorate-General Shipping of the FPS Mobility has taken the lead in the IMO to draft these guidelines. This guarantees that the regulatory framework reflects the real-world practice, enabling innovation while maintaining effective safeguards within a controlled environment.

The approval is expected to reduce uncertainty for shipowners and designers assessing ammonia as a future fuel, particularly as the first vessels designed to operate on ammonia approach entry into service.

Liam Blackmore, Global Head of Technology Adoption and Integration, Lloyd’s Register, said: “The approval of these guidelines provides a clear signal that ammonia is moving from concept to a fuel with an emerging international safety framework. It demonstrates how close collaboration between industry, flag administrations and technical organisations can accelerate the safe adoption of new fuels at scale. Being part of this collaboration reinforces our role as a trusted advisor helping to turn ambition into practical, scalable solutions for the maritime energy transition.”

“As a public authority, we want to facilitate the energy transition by ensuring that an appropriate regulatory framework is in place in good time. Thanks to close cooperation with the industry, this framework is also tailored to the realities on the ground,” noted Nathalie Deleuze, FPS Mobility’s Maritime Expert in Alternative fuels.

Celine Audenaerdt, Head of Environmental and Technical Affairs, The Royal Belgian Shipowners’ Association (KBRV) added: “Through intensive collaboration and the combination of strong in-house competence and hands-on experience, the partners have succeeded in developing robust and practical safety guidelines.”

“Drawing on more than four decades of operational experience and the challenges encountered along the way, we jointly developed these guidelines through a strong partnership. We would like to thank the teams at FPS Mobility and Lloyd’s Register for their excellent cooperation and valuable contribution throughout the process,” concluded Kristof Coppé, Director Fleet Operations & Technical Business Development at EXMAR.