Safety of Alternative Fuels
The safe transition to alternative fuels and power sources is central to international efforts to ensure the decarbonisation of the maritime sector. However, the introduction of alternative fuels poses new safety risks, mostly relating to their distinct chemical properties.
Therefore, the development of safety standards for the storage, transfer and use of these fuels should be first based on a deep knowledge of their properties and environmental behaviour.
The properties that characterise alternative fuel options, and the need for larger quantities on board due to the generally lower energy density of those fuels mean that the safety risks for crew, passengers and others can differ greatly from those posed by fossil fuels.
However, the current risk management framework is designed to meet the demands of traditional fuels. On board, more sophisticated risk mitigation measures are required, including specific equipment and safeguards alongside improved knowledge and skills for the design, manufacture, inspection, installation, commissioning, surveying, operation and maintenance of these systems.
The development of safety standards encompasses the risk‑based development of relevant provisions to ensure that ships using alternative fuels are considered equivalent in terms of safety to conventionally fuelled ships.
These challenges must be consistently and harmoniously addressed across the industry to maintain current safety standards and prevent an increase in accidents. Therefore, to support Member States and the industry in the decarbonisation transition, EMSA has developed a series of studies on the safety aspects of different alternatives to fossil fuels.
