Prediction of Airborne and Marine Impact from Eco-Friendly Ship Fuel Leakage Accidents

In accordance with the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s Net Zero policy in 2023, the maritime sector has adopted a target of achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions, leading to an increase in vessels powered by eco-friendly fuels such as ammonia, hydrogen, methanol, LNG, and batteries. When leakage occurs, these fuels exhibit different behaviors depending on their material properties, resulting in varying risks and impacts. Toxic fuels such as ammonia and methanol can cause direct human and environmental impacts, while flammable fuels such as hydrogen and LNG pose risks of fire and explosion, leading to severe secondary impacts. However, studies addressing the risks and impacts of leakage accidents involving eco-friendly marine fuels remain limited. In this study, an algorithm is developed to predict the risks and impacts of eco-friendly marine fuel leakage accidents by incorporating fuel-specific characteristics. The results of this study are expected to support risk assessment and contribute to effective accident response and mitigation. This research was supported by Development of Platform and Prediction System of Ship Fuel dispersion and Damage for Response and Control of Eco-Friendly Ship Accident of Korea institute of Marine Science & Technology Promotion(KIMST) funded by the Korea Coast Guard(KIMST-(RS-2023-00236401))