Marine Fuels

Basics

• This page aims to lay out information and ongoing research on fuels in the context of Maritime Operations

Small Craft

Current Standards

• Gasoline (Although typically Ethanol Free Gasoline due to the water contamination issue)
• Standard Road Diesel

Future Options

• Propane (Some OTS Options exist for this, in particular small outboard engines for things like small (inflatable) boats “john boats” and whatnot)
• Butanol / Butanol Blends (Same Prospects as Ethanol or Methanol for On-Road Fuels, but none of the Hydroscopic issues)
• Biodiesel (For Transesterification Biodiesel need to look into Fuel Lubricity issues for existing engines, also especially with tanks below the waterline etc Fuel Gelling may be an issue
• DME and OMEx

Larger Craft

Current Standards

• Heavy Fuel Oil (aka Bunker Oil / Sixth Oil / #6 Fuel Oil etc)
  • Currently being phased out due to environmental, but also maintenance aspect (it’s a pita to work with/handle; essentially tar)
• Marine Diesel Oil (The new standard, although LNG may take it’s place)

Future Options

• LNG (Some new Cruise Ships and such are switching to this)
• Ammonia (In the form of Anhydrous Ammonia , complex to wprk with, but given Over the Water Transfer Operations are already quite involved and regulated, it is considered a viable fuel option (however not the case for average users in small craft etc)
• DME / OMEx / Bio-Diesel

Notes

From User: Eric

• From a worker’s perspective I’m team Ammonia/LNG/DME
  • A bit more partial to DME since Anhydrous Ammonia is some nasty stuff (heard from people who have encountered it with farming, and personal experience with the even LESS hazardous aqueous stuff for laundry and whatnot), and LNG has the issues of being a Cryogen (and also Methane Emissions / Methane Slip
• Still gaining experience so I can’t personally speak to Diesel/Biodiesel, but all liquid fuels are going to build up rusty sludge in Tank Farms and whatnot
  • Ethanol mainly was just a residual powder from the Denaturant and some rust/dirt
  • Gasoline had a manure slurry esque nasty kind of sludge
• In terms of the work process, more volatile stuff means less time airing the tank out to get the VOCs under control
• Seeing what types of hoses one would use for LNG or DME and all that would be interesting to see, if they can’t use the same Grounded Nityl Cam and Groove Fitting (Camlock is the brand name) vac truck hoses i could see that being an issue, same with the ammonia

Internal Links

• Marine DEF (It is a bit of a different composition to road Diesel Exhaust Fluid )

External Links

• A 2024 Paper Titled “ Potential of ammonia as a renewable fuel for maritime engines: a short bibliometric and bibliographic review”
• A Study from 2022 in the journal “The International Journal of Hydrogen Energy” Titled “Environmental and economic evaluation of ammonia as a fuel for short-sea shipping: A case study”
• A Video by the YouTube Channel “Boats . Com” Titled “Butanol: Will it replace Ethanol for Boats?” ( ‘’’~1 Minute Watch’’’ )