ClassNK leads ammonia safety project

A new consortium led by ClassNK has been selected by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to develop evaluation tools that address stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in fuel ammonia storage and transport systems.

The group includes IHI Corporation, JFE Steel, Tohoku University, and the Institute of Science Tokyo. Their proposal was approved in May, with a formal agreement signed shortly after.

The project aims to make ammonia, a zero-CO₂ fuel, safer and more viable for use in shipping and power generation. While ammonia offers big potential for decarbonization, it also poses corrosion risks when stored or transported in steel tanks.

Firstly, the consortium will begin by studying the mechanism of SCC caused by liquid ammonia, which can weaken steel through a combination of corrosion and mechanical stress. From there, they’ll develop tools to help operators accurately assess the risk of cracking.

The final stage of the project will involve gathering feedback from industry stakeholders to create risk-based maintenance procedures. These tools and guidelines are expected to support both land-based and marine fuel ammonia systems.

ClassNK will focus on examining SCC in marine ammonia transport equipment, carrying out long-term testing, and developing practical assessment tools. The results will feed into updated ClassNK guidelines for ammonia-fueled ships and infrastructure.

As Japan ramps up efforts to decarbonize under its Green Growth Strategy, projects like this are key to unlocking the full potential of fuel ammonia in the maritime sector.

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