Compare the physical, toxicity and flammability properties of methanol and ammonia against conventional marine fuel oil for bunkering risk assessment.
Oil, Gas & Energy
Methanol and Ammonia Bunkering for Low-Emission Shipping
Learn to design methanol and ammonia bunkering procedures, apply IMO and IGF Code requirements and run joint risk assessments and emergency response planning specific to each fuel's hazards.
🗓️Duration5 training days
📚Content4 modules · 8 sessions
🎓On completionAccredited attendance certificate
About the programme
Course Overview
Methanol and ammonia bring genuinely different hazards to the bunkering berth than conventional fuel oil — methanol's low flash point changes fire risk, while ammonia's toxicity changes what a release means for crew, shore workers and nearby communities — yet many bunkering procedures are still adapted from conventional fuel practice with only minor edits. This course builds bunkering procedures from the hazards up: comparing fuel properties, applying IMO and IGF Code requirements to vessel storage and fuel system design, and designing ship-to-ship and terminal transfer procedures with the exclusion zones, gas detection and emergency shutdown arrangements each fuel needs. Participants run a joint risk assessment between ship, terminal and port authority ahead of a first bunkering operation at a new location, and plan emergency response and evacuation arrangements that account for toxic plume behaviour rather than assuming a fire scenario alone. The course closes with training and competence assurance methods for bunkering teams handling an alternative fuel for the first time, leaving participants able to build a defensible, fuel-specific bunkering procedure.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Design a ship-to-ship or truck-to-ship bunkering procedure that reflects the specific hazards of methanol or ammonia.
Apply IMO and IGF Code requirements relevant to alternative fuel bunkering and onboard storage arrangements.
Specify personal protective equipment, detection systems and emergency response arrangements suited to ammonia's toxicity.
Assess port and terminal infrastructure readiness for methanol or ammonia bunkering, including storage, transfer and vapour handling.
Coordinate a bunkering risk assessment between ship, terminal and port authority before the first alternative fuel transfer at a new location.
Train bunkering teams on emergency shutdown, spill response and evacuation procedures specific to the fuel being handled.
Who Should Attend
Marine engineers and ship operators managing the transition to methanol or ammonia dual-fuel vessels.
Port and terminal operators developing bunkering infrastructure for alternative marine fuels.
HSE and marine safety officers responsible for bunkering risk assessments and emergency response plans.
Bunker suppliers and traders structuring supply chains for methanol or ammonia as marine fuel.
Classification society surveyors and flag state inspectors reviewing alternative fuel vessel and bunkering arrangements.
Fleet superintendents planning crew training and procedures ahead of first alternative fuel bunkering operations.
Course Modules
Select any module to see its sessions and points.
01Properties and Hazards of Alternative Marine Fuels
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Methanol and Ammonia Fuel Properties
- Compare flash point, flammability range and toxicity of methanol and ammonia against conventional heavy fuel oil and marine gas oil.
- Explain why methanol's low flash point changes fire risk assessment compared with ammonia's toxic release risk.
- Assess material compatibility and corrosion considerations that affect storage tank and pipework selection for each fuel.
- Identify detection thresholds and exposure limits relevant to crew and shore personnel working near each fuel.
Session 2Hazard Identification for Bunkering Operations
- Identify credible loss-of-containment scenarios during transfer, connection and disconnection of bunkering hoses.
- Assess vapour cloud and toxic plume dispersion scenarios specific to ammonia releases in a port environment.
- Map hazards arising from simultaneous cargo, bunkering and passenger or crew movement operations at the berth.
- Rank identified hazards by likelihood and consequence to prioritise controls in the bunkering procedure.
02Regulatory Framework and Vessel Arrangements
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1IMO and Class Requirements for Alternative Fuels
- Apply IGF Code and interim guidelines relevant to methanol and ammonia as ship fuels to onboard storage and fuel system design.
- Identify classification society rules that govern fuel containment, gas detection and emergency shutdown systems for dual-fuel vessels.
- Reconcile flag state and port state requirements that may add conditions beyond the baseline IMO framework.
- Track how evolving IMO greenhouse gas regulations affect the commercial case for methanol or ammonia as a fuel choice.
Session 2Onboard and Shore Interface Arrangements
- Review vessel bunkering station design, including manifold arrangement, containment and emergency release couplings.
- Assess compatibility between ship and shore connection standards before the first bunkering operation at a new terminal.
- Define communication and pre-transfer checklist requirements shared between ship and shore bunkering teams.
- Set conditions under which a bunkering operation must be suspended, such as adverse weather or detected gas concentration.
03Bunkering Procedure Design and Risk Assessment
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Designing the Bunkering Procedure
- Sequence pre-transfer checks, connection, transfer, monitoring and disconnection steps into a written bunkering procedure.
- Define exclusion zones and restricted access areas around the vessel and terminal during methanol or ammonia transfer.
- Specify continuous gas detection and automatic shutdown triggers integrated into the bunkering procedure.
- Assign clear roles and communication protocols between ship, terminal and any bunkering barge involved in the transfer.
Session 2Joint Risk Assessment with Ports and Terminals
- Facilitate a joint risk assessment between vessel, terminal and port authority ahead of a new location's first bunkering operation.
- Identify infrastructure gaps, such as vapour return or spill containment capacity, that a terminal must close before bunkering begins.
- Agree emergency response roles and equipment coverage between ship, terminal and local emergency services in advance.
- Document risk assessment outcomes in a form port authorities and insurers can review before granting bunkering approval.
04Emergency Response and Workforce Competence
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Planning the Emergency Response to a Bunkering Incident
- Design emergency shutdown and isolation procedures specific to methanol fire risk and ammonia toxic release scenarios.
- Plan spill containment and vapour suppression measures appropriate to each fuel's behaviour when released.
- Coordinate evacuation and muster arrangements that account for wind direction and toxic plume behaviour during an ammonia incident.
- Test emergency response arrangements through joint drills involving ship, terminal and port emergency services.
Session 2Training and Competence Assurance
- Define competence requirements for bunkering team members handling methanol or ammonia for the first time.
- Build a training programme covering fuel properties, procedure steps and emergency response specific to the fuel in use.
- Verify crew and shore team competence through practical assessment before they conduct unsupervised bunkering operations.
- Maintain a lessons-learned process that updates bunkering procedures as operational experience with the fuel grows.
What the participant receives
4 course modules
A structured syllabus
8 training sessions
across 5 days
32 detailed points
Applied, detailed content
Accredited attendance certificate
On completing the programme
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