Conceptual Development of Floating Structures for Ammonia Loading/Unloading in the Maritime Industry

Abdussamie, N., Fan, H., Kaiktsis, L., Alyafay, H., Ibrahim A., AlThobiani, F., and Alghaffari, S., 2024. Conceptual development of floating structures for ammonia loading/unloading in the maritime industry. In: Phillips, M.R.; Al-Naemi, S., and Duarte, C.M. (eds.), Coastlines under Global Change: Proceedings from the International Coastal Symposium (ICS) 2024 (Doha, Qatar). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 113, pp. 372-376. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. This study explores the feasibility of using floating offshore structures for ammonia production, storage and offloading to address the infrastructure needs of the maritime industry. Through a comprehensive methodology involving sizing analysis and diffraction solver simulations, various floating structure concepts were evaluated, including barges, single column floaters, and semisubmersibles. Performance indicators such as natural periods and motion responses were considered in the concept evaluation. The findings reveal that semisubmersibles demonstrate the best performance among the investigated concepts for ammonia bunkering, loading, and unloading operations. However, further investigation is recommended to assess their response under extreme weather conditions and conduct mooring analysis to ensure operational safety and efficiency.