Fortescue’s Green Pioneer

	ANALYSIS | Fortescue has sailed its ammonia-powered ship around the world — has it proved this toxic chemical is safe to use as a fuel?

Stepping on board Fortescue’s Green Pioneer, the world’s first ocean-going ship able to run on ammonia, I was disappointed, but not surprised, to learn that the NH3 on board had been purged before the vessel entered the city of London’s waterways. So far, only two port authorities — the Green Pioneer’s flag state Singapore and Southampton in the UK — have allowed the Green Pioneer to operate on ammonia, with the ship’s grand entry into Dubai for COP28 marred by having to depend on its diesel engines. However, the IMO is also in the midst of preparing final safety guidelines for ammonia-fuelled vessels by 2027, drawing on evidence from first-in-the-water pilots such as Green Pioneer, and it is clear that ammonia vessel operators will have to manage major changes to bunkering operations, writes Polly Martin, following a visit to the ship. For the full story, click here.