On track with ammonia: Alfa Laval’s next-generation products take shape

 Ammonia is rapidly gaining traction as a zero-carbon fuel in the race to decarbonize global shipping. With its scalability, energy density and ability to be produced renewably, ammonia offers one of the most credible pathways to a sustainable future.

Unlike other alternative fuels, ammonia combustion is carbon-free by nature of its molecular structure. If produced using renewable energy, so-called “green ammonia” emits zero carbon dioxide from production to combustion. It is also storable as a liquid under pressure or at low temperature, avoiding, for example, the expensive cryogenic requirements of LNG.

But making the ammonia future a reality requires more than theoretical commitment. It requires significant capital investment, exhaustive engineering, proven equipment and collaborative partnerships across the value chain. At Alfa Laval, that is exactly what we have focused on: translating ammonia’s potential into practical, deliverable solutions that shipowners can trust from day one.

Of course, as a toxic and emerging fuel, ammonia also brings major challenges. But we have faced similar challenges before; our experience developing systems and products for LNG, methanol and other low-flashpoint fuels has shaped our approach and given us a head-start.

In the first of our two-part blog on ammonia, we take a closer look at how we’re developing two essential components of an ammonia fuelled ship – the FCM Ammonia fuel supply system and the Aalborg multi-fuel boiler solutions– with safety, control and real-world integration in mind.

FCM Ammonia – a complete solution for safe and efficient fuel supply

The new Alfa Laval FCM Ammonia, designed for secure use of ammonia, includes a fuel supply system (FSS) as the primary solution for feeding the fuel to the engine. This base system is integrated with a fuel valve train (FVT) for isolating the engine from upstream systems and a vent treatment system (VTS) for ensuring a controlled vent release into the atmosphere. The dedicated automation system of FCM Ammonia regulates all critical functions of FSS, FVT and VTS.

Built on Alfa Laval’s proven FCM platform, FCM Ammonia ensures that the engine receives ammonia at the exact pressure, temperature and flow rate required, following engine load variation. The system’s advanced control logic, developed entirely in-house, allows for smooth, precise fuel ramping and automatic changeovers, ensuring consistent performance. In addition, FCM Ammonia is designed to be as flexible as possible making it easy to adapt to different vessel designs – newbuilds or retrofits – in line with the requirements of customers' evolving fuel strategies.

Safety is a foundational feature. Every component has been carefully selected for compatibility with ammonia, and the system includes continuous monitoring, automatic safeguards and dedicated emergency protocols. To prevent atmospheric release, the FCM can be integrated with a VTS based on multi-stage absorption that safely neutralizes ammonia in vent streams, offering flexibility for shipowners in meeting ammonia emission requirements.

Looking ahead, Alfa Laval is preparing to fully digitalize the FCM platform, with data capture capabilities that will support remote monitoring, performance optimization and predictive maintenance. By tracking fuel behaviour and system health over time, operators will be able to reduce unplanned downtime and make smarter, data-driven decisions.

Aalborg marine boiler – multi-purpose system for heating and safety

On many ocean-going vessels, boilers are typically used for steam generation – supporting cargo heating, HVAC and auxiliary systems, as well as cargo discharge, tank cleaning, etc. As long as vessels are designed as dual fuel, steam boiler systems will be a necessary part of their diesel-mode operation.

In addition, on ammonia-fuelled ships, the Aalborg multi-fuel boiler that we are also developing will be used for more critical operations, including incinerating the ammonia/nitrogen gas mixture released during ship operations and thermal oxidation of boil-off ammonia from the storage tank. These features are based on our vast experiences in Aalborg dual-fuel boilers on LNG-fuelled ships, which marks a proven and reliable starting point for the novel ammonia boiler system.

When it comes to thermal oxidation of boil-off ammonia, we see the possibility to improve fuel efficiency as well as simplify the ship design. Two-stroke ammonia engines produce lower-temperature exhaust gas, reducing heat recovery potential, therefore the combustion of fuel by the boiler will be necessary to fulfil the ship’s heat demand. If the boiler uses boil-off ammonia from the fuel tank, the ship can both control fuel temperature and tank pressure while simultaneously meeting heat demand. Furthermore, other systems for fuel temperature and tank pressure control may be omitted, requiring less additional equipment in the ammonia fuel use case.

First mover on multiple fronts

As a leading industry stakeholder in the ammonia transition, Alfa Laval has played a key role in shaping how this promising fuel can be used safely and practically at sea. Our involvement spans industry-wide research, collaborative vessel concepts, live pilot projects and full-scale system validation.

We were a key contributor to the Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping's landmark March 2023 paper "Managing Emissions from Ammonia-Fueled Vessels" – a technical deep dive into emissions, safety and regulatory pathways for ammonia. We also contributed boiler technology expertise to the "Ammonia powered tanker" pilot project spearheaded by Equinor under Norway's Green Shipping Programme, helping define how ammonia can be handled on board at both operational and emergency levels.

On the newbuild side, we have worked closely with K Shipbuilding in South Korea on a dual-fuel MR1 tanker design that has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from class society ABS. This project covered the full ammonia fuel design scope – FCM Ammonia, Aalborg multi-fuel boiler, FVT and a combined VTS.
At the technology development level, we are progressing from theory to practice. Our partnership with engine maker WinGD has resulted in a live fuel system and injector test rig at WinGD’s research centre in Winterthur, Switzerland. The test rig has already passed validation, and the full FCM is being commissioned right now – a key milestone on the path to commercial readiness. This collaboration is grounded in mutual testing, data validation and iterative system design, allowing us to fine-tune control logic, purge procedures and safety functions under dynamic load conditions.

This work is reinforced by real-world pilot projects. In late 2024, China's Tianjin Southwest Maritime ordered seven LPG/ammonia carriers to be built at CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard, with Alfa Laval set to supply the complete FCM Ammonia systems. And in a separate breakthrough, in South Korea, we have secured the first-ever order for a marine boiler system designed specifically for the incineration of ammonia waste gas – setting a precedent for onboard ammonia release mitigation.

All these efforts are underpinned by full-scale validation at our upgraded Test & Training Centre in Aalborg, Denmark. The facility is more than a proving ground for individual components – it simulates full marine system configurations, integrating FCM, boiler, vent treatment and engine interface under real marine operating conditions. It is here that we bring theory, modelling and physical testing together to optimize system functionality.

Whether through industry whitepapers, joint technology development or commercial pilot orders, these collaborations feed directly into product development, help accelerate time-to-market and give us – and our customers – a clearer view of where the fuel transition is heading.

Confidence in complexity

Adopting ammonia is not plug-and-play. It demands coordinated equipment, smart control systems and regulatory alignment – which is why Alfa Laval focuses on system-level integration, not isolated components. Whether it is enabling fuel supply, managing energy or mitigating toxic releases, we are building solutions that don’t just work, they work together.

And while our current focus is ammonia, the thinking goes further. The systems we are developing reflect a fuel-agnostic mindset: designed to support the fuels of today but ready to adapt as new zero-carbon solutions emerge. Because when it comes to navigating a complex and fast-changing fuel landscape, confidence and flexibility go hand in hand.

What’s next for ammonia safety?

In the upcoming Part 2 of our ammonia blog, we dive deeper into the critical question of safety – including how Alfa Laval’s integrated ARMS strategies are redefining onboard ammonia handling. Discover how boiler-based and water-based solutions can work together for greater resilience, regulatory compliance and real-world flexibility.