Study finds just 10 ammonia hubs could decarbonise bulk of shipping

Around 90 per cent of the world’s physical trade is transported by sea, with the maritime sector responsible for roughly three per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. In recent years, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has committed to net zero emissions by 2050. Many questions remain over the pathway, but green ammonia is widely regarded as the fuel source most suitable for cleaner shipping.

“Shipping is one of the most challenging sectors to decarbonise because of the need for fuel with high energy density and the difficulty of coordinating different groups to produce, utilise and finance alternative [green] fuel supplies,” said René Bañares-Alcántara, Professor of Chemical Engineering in at Oxford.

Published in IOP Publishing’s journal Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability, the Oxford study used a spatial modelling framework to identify the optimal locations for global green ammonia production, transport and fuelling infrastructure. The framework combined a fuel demand model, future trade scenarios and a spatial optimisation model for green ammonia production, storage, and transport, identifying the best locations to meet the future transition away from heavy fuel oil.