Ministry Seeks to Lead International Standards for Ammonia-Fueled Ships

Kick-off Meeting of Public-Private Consultative Body in 2026
Proactive Response to IMO Discussions

Yonhap News Agency

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on the 5th that it will hold a kick-off meeting of a public-private consultative body to promote international standardization of technologies and standards for ammonia-fueled ships, which are drawing attention as next-generation eco-friendly vessels.

According to the ministry, as ammonia is gaining attention worldwide as a zero-carbon fuel for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships, construction of ammonia-fueled vessels is also on the rise. The number of ammonia-fueled ships is expected to increase from 5 vessels in 2026 to a cumulative total of 51 vessels in 2029. Over the same period, the number of "ammonia-ready" ships, which can use ammonia fuel through future engine replacement and other modifications, is projected to grow from 346 vessels to 658 vessels.

However, the discharge into the ocean of ammonia wastewater generated in the process of using ammonia as fuel, which is produced during the removal of its toxicity, is emerging as an environmental issue. The International Maritime Organization is scheduled to begin discussions on the management of ammonia wastewater and the establishment of marine discharge standards from the 9th.

In preparation for these international discussions, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has been operating a public-private consultative body since June last year together with Korean Register, Korea Testing & Research Institute, and the three major domestic shipbuilders Hyundai Heavy Industries, Samsung Heavy Industries, and Hanwha Ocean. The consultative body has shared research findings on methods of treating ammonia wastewater and on discharge standards aimed at minimizing marine impacts, and has also discussed cooperation and joint response measures with member states of the International Maritime Organization.

At this kick-off meeting, experts from domestic research institutes, academia, and industry will participate to share domestic and international trends related to the development of guidelines for ammonia wastewater treatment and Korea's response plans, and to discuss the 2026 operation plan of the consultative body and strategies for securing a leading position in the global market for technologies and standards.

Based on the research results accumulated so far, the ministry submitted guidelines on ammonia wastewater management and discharge standards that are harmless to the marine environment to the International Maritime Organization in December last year. Starting on the 9th, it plans to present the related research findings and lead expert working-group sessions at the 13th session of the Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response, which will be held in London, United Kingdom.

Lee Sooho, Director General of Maritime Safety at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, said, "Through the public-private consultative body, we will strengthen cooperation between domestic shipyards and marine environmental experts and respond proactively to international discussions," adding, "We will take the lead in discussions so that the ammonia wastewater marine discharge standards proposed by Korea can be established as a global standard."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.