Bureau Veritas (BV) has released an Ammonia-Prepared notation and has developed a rule note for ammonia as a marine fuel to support shipowners, designers, shipyards and charterers in advancing their journeys toward using ammonia and a zero-carbon future. 

Ammonia-Prepared is applicable to newbuilds and certifies that a ship has been designed and constructed to be converted to use ammonia as fuel at a later date. The notation targets the spaces and structural components that will accommodate future ammonia fuel tanks, fuel handling equipment and ammonia vapor treatment installations.

Ammonia-Prepared also covers specific requirements for the conversion of engines and boilers from using fuel oil, LNG or multiple fuels to ammonia.

Ammonia-Prepared is a prelude to a full rule note on ammonia as fuel: NR 671. It will primarily concern the safety aspects of managing ammonia in storage tanks, fuel-piping systems, and during bunkering.