Preparing our Ports for the Future of Alternative Maritime Fuels
CSAC assessed the chemical risk nationwide and identified specific U.S. ports that could be impacted by alternative fuels during an incident. Findings will help CSAC inform mitigation plans for protecting the U.S. maritime transportation sector and assist with potential adjustments to Maritime Transportation Security Act regulations, all in collaboration with Department of Homeland Security components agencies.
Following the survey’s completion, CSAC determined that the standard JR Program chemical test releases must be performed in a more complex environment than before. CSAC recently conducted JR III chamber experiments to test the effect of environmental factors affecting ammonia cloud behavior in water environments and is now analyzing the experimental dataset.
“Until now, we’ve conducted chemical releases in a lab over concrete and outdoors in open desert environment, and the corresponding risk assessments are not applicable to the water environment,” according to CSAC. “At ports, highly concentrated ammonia will react with the water and vegetation, which can soak up much of the released ammonia and thus stop the hazardous cloud from going downwind on land. It is critical to understand dispersion phenomena in interconnected maritime and land environments.”
Survey’s Findings Are Already Spurring Action
One of the survey’s recommendations was that CSAC engage with the ports and collaborate with federal agencies and first responders to implement preventative measures, including the use of advanced dispersion modeling tools, a common operating picture (real-time situational awareness shown to stakeholders), and mass alert notification systems.
CSAC has already launched a collaboration with global modeling experts to enhance waterborne hazard prediction and joined forces with the Ammonia Safety Training Institute and the port of Los Angeles to communicate the anticipated hazards and support emergency response preparedness. Additionally, CSAC is working with the private sector for future ammonia test releases.
“We signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement in August with CF Industries, a leading green ammonia U.S. manufacturer, to develop and exchange mutually beneficial information regarding the risk assessment and mitigation of large-scale ammonia releases,” according to CSAC. “We will conduct modeling simulations to assess both airborne hazards on land and waterborne hazards in marine environments at ports.”
S&T surveyed first responders and port authorities about the potential hazards in their communities related to the ongoing energy transition, and they expressed interest in collaborating with CSAC to mitigate risks. Notable global ammonia spill incidents underscore the need for enhanced safety protocols at storage sites, especially densely populated port areas in U.S.
What’s Next for CSAC and the Maritime Industry
The market research survey concluded, and its key findings can be found in a corresponding fact sheet about alternative fuels’ impact on U.S. ports.
For smoother-sailing adoption of alternative fuels, CSAC plans to further assess the hazards and risks identified in the survey at key ports and develop mitigation strategies and will partner with federal agencies involved in the maritime energy transition. Although ammonia as a maritime fuel source offers significant benefits, particularly in reducing carbon emissions and meeting sustainability goals when produced carbon-free (via green hydrogen), current production methods are mostly fossil-fuel-based, and the infrastructure for storing, handling, and refueling ammonia at ports is not yet widespread.
“Results will inform modeling advancement and mitigation strategies to help emergency response preparedness in multi-domain environments found at ports,” according to CSAC.
