Exmar will host a webinar on 15 April focusing on its planned ammonia-fuelled vessels and the safety framework required for their operation.

The shipowner has ordered four midsize gas carriers (MGCs) with a capacity of 46,000 cbm, each fitted with WinGD dual-fuel ammonia engines. The vessels are under construction at HD Hyundai Mipo in South Korea and are scheduled for delivery in 2026.

According to Exmar, the use of clean ammonia as a marine fuel could cut greenhouse gas emissions by about 90% compared with diesel.

The online event, titled 'Exmar: preparing to sail using ammonia as a marine fuel', will feature Kristof Coppé, Director of Fleet Operations and Technical Business Development, Exmar, and Peter Van de Graaf, Strategic Business Partner, Lloyd’s Register, in a discussion moderated by Kevin Rouwenhorst, Technology Manager, Ammonia Energy Association (AEA).

Exmar states that it is the largest independent shipowner in the midsize gas carrier segment for LPG and ammonia transport. The company received its first ammonia carrier in 1983 and had transported a cumulative total of 100 million tonnes of ammonia by 2023.

In 2021, Exmar also took delivery of LPG-fuelled very large gas carriers (VLGCs) for LPG transport, which it described as the first vessels of this type to use LPG as fuel.

The company noted that ammonia’s toxicity presents safety challenges that must be addressed before the fuel can be widely adopted. Key safety measures include double-walled piping systems, gas detection equipment, detailed safety studies such as HAZID and HAZOP assessments, and dedicated crew training.

Exmar said it has worked with Lloyd’s Register and the Belgian Federal Public Service for Mobility and Transport to develop interim guidelines covering the use of ammonia cargo as fuel on ammonia carriers. Lloyd’s Register also contributed to a recent Ammonia Energy Association white paper on ammonia gas detection.

The webinar will begin at 9am EDT (1pm GMT) on 15 April, and participants will have the opportunity to submit questions when registering for the event.