Ensuring Ammonia Safety for a Sustainable Future
The energy transition demands innovative solutions, and low-carbon ammonia stands out as a powerful enabler. At Yara Clean Ammonia (YCA), we are dedicated to advancing its safe adoption across vital sectors. With over a century of experience, we lead the way in establishing rigorous safety standards, fostering collaboration, and demonstrating that ammonia can be handled responsibly and effectively.
Proven Expertise
Leveraging over 100 years of experience in ammonia production, handling, and transportation.
World's Largest Ammonia Shipper
Yara Clean Ammonia manages 15 vessels and 18 global terminals, handling 20% of all globally traded ammonia.
Proven Track Record
Yara's incident rate is among the lowest in the fertilizer industry, reflecting our commitment to a risk-based safety culture
Global Leadership in Safety
Setting industry benchmarks through extensive research, robust protocols, and continuous improvement
Collaborative Innovation
Partnering with industry, regulators, and scientific institutions to develop unified safety standards
Industry-Leading Partnerships
Collaborating with DNV, UNGC, IMO, SIGOTTO, and various scientific institutions and regulatory bodies to set global safety standards
Yara's Century of Ammonia Safety Leadership
Yara Clean Ammonia builds on a profound legacy of ammonia safety leadership, tracing back to Norsk Hydro’s pioneering work in 1905. For over a century, our organization has been at the forefront of safe ammonia production, storage, and transport worldwide. This extensive experience is a cornerstone of our competitive advantage.
This deep operational know-how and a culture of prevention are invaluable as we extend ammonia's role into new energy applications.
Advancing Safety in New Applications
The expansion of low-carbon ammonia into new sectors like maritime shipping, power generation, and industrial applications requires adapting established safety principles. Yara Clean Ammonia actively develops specific design solutions, safety procedures, and training programs for these novel contexts. This includes pioneering research and industry collaborations for safe marine fuel adoption (e.g., ARISE project, DNV Recommended Practice, Yara Eyde vessel, and bunkering infrastructure). For power generation and industrial uses, we ensure safety in areas such as low-carbon fertilizer production, carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiatives, and new production facilities, leveraging ammonia's role as an efficient hydrogen carrier.
Global Collaboration and Regulatory Excellence
Yara Clean Ammonia actively engages with international bodies and industry partners to shape the regulatory landscape and ensure the safe and widespread adoption of low-carbon ammonia. This collaborative approach is vital for building trust and establishing consistent standards across the value chain.
Our involvement includes:
IMO engagement: YCA is a key advocate in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Net-Zero Framework, which aims to create conditions for demand for ammonia shipping fuel and establish a global fuel standard and pricing mechanism. We contribute to discussions on guidelines for safety, crew competence, and the uptake of zero and near-zero emission fuels.
Knowledge sharing: Yara shares its extensive know-how and safety culture with stakeholders, including regulators, port authorities, and prospective partners, to accelerate the safe transition to low-carbon ammonia.
Industry Partnerships: We work with organizations like DNV, Maritime Just Transition Task Force (MJTTF), Society for Gas a Marine Fuel (SGMF), and others to develop basic and advanced training frameworks and best operational and emergency response guidelines for seafarers handling ammonia. Ksenia Zakariyya, HESQ Manager at Yara Clean Ammonia, emphasizes, "Dedicated risk assessments are essential for enhanced decision-making and definition of technical, operational, and organizational barriers to effectively control risks throughout the asset's lifecycle".
Certification and standards: We are actively involved in processes for setting standards and influencing regulations, particularly concerning carbon-intensity certification for low-carbon fuels.
Cultivating a culture of Ammonia safety
At Yara Clean Ammonia, safety is not merely a compliance issue; it is a fundamental mindset that influences every decision and operation. Our approach to ammonia safety management is rooted in a comprehensive hierarchy of controls, ensuring that hazards are identified and mitigated at every stage.
This includes:
Proactive risk management: Integrating safety concepts from the earliest design phases to eliminate or minimize hazards. This involves rigorous risk assessments, implementing highly efficient control measures, and continuous monitoring.
Training and competence: Ensuring all personnel, from production to transport, are highly trained and continuously updated on ammonia safety protocols. This includes specialized operator training, emergency preparedness drills, and the selection of appropriate personal protective equipment.
Operational excellence: Maintaining a strong safety culture with high-level commitment, leadership, workforce engagement, and operational discipline across all our facilities and vessels. Our assets are designed with multiple layers of safety, such as double-walled storage tanks and continuous monitoring systems, to prevent leaks and ensure containment.
