Study finds health risks in switching ships from diesel to ammonia bunker fuel

A MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium funded research paper entitled Climate and air quality impact of using ammonia as an alternative shipping fuel has found that burning ammonia as marine fuel could worsen air quality further and lead to devastating public health impacts, unless it is adopted alongside strengthened emissions regulations.

The new study indicates that, under current legislation, switching the global fleet to ammonia fuel could cause up to about 600,000 additional premature deaths each year, said MIT Climate on Thursday (11 July).

However, with stronger regulations and cleaner engine technology, the switch could lead to about 66,000 fewer premature deaths than currently caused by maritime shipping emissions, with far less impact on global warming.

“Not all climate solutions are created equal. There is almost always some price to pay. We have to take a more holistic approach and consider all the costs and benefits of different climate solutions, rather than just their potential to decarbonize,” said Anthony Wong, a postdoc in the MIT Center for Global Change Science and lead author of the study.

“Saying that ammonia is a ‘clean’ fuel is a bit of an overstretch. Just because it is carbon-free doesn’t necessarily mean it is clean and good for public health,” he added.

Research found most premature deaths would occur in East Asia, as air quality regulations are less stringent in this region. Higher levels of existing air pollution cause the formation of more particulate matter from ammonia emissions. In addition, shipping volume over East Asia is far greater than elsewhere on Earth, compounding these negative effects.

Editor’s note: The full research paper can be downloaded here.

Photo credit: Climate and air quality impact of using ammonia as an alternative shipping fuel
Published: 16 July 2024