Purpose This paper examines the safety issues related to the use of ammonia as a marine fuel in China, its flammability, toxicity, and its potential management strategies. Design/methodology/approach The study divides risks into three main categories using the failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) methodology: regulatory enforcement gaps, human operational errors, and technical system failures. The risk priority number (RPN) supports quantitative risk assessment, and incident case reviews and simulation trials yield qualitative insights. Findings There are serious risks from both human error (45% of incidents) and technical malfunctions during ammonia transfers (RPN 378). The study suggests a risk management framework that includes ammonia bunkering regulations unique to China, VR-based training that improves performance by 41%, and triple-redundant safety systems. Research limitations/implications The analysis depends on secondary reports and simulation-based training results and is constrained by the availability of real-time operational data from Chinese ports. For wider generalizability, additional empirical research and expert validations (such as the Delphi technique) are advised. Originality/value This paper uses a contextualized FMEA framework of the application of ammonia in Chinese ports, to combine technical, human-factor, and regulatory risks quantitatively and translate them into a China-driven risk management framework of ammonia bunkering.
Ashraf Dawar (Thu,) studied this question.