Digital twins to assess ammonia risks

ABS, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and Siemens have teamed up on digital twin technology designed to assess the safety of ammonia-fuelled vessels.

Announced at Gastech 2026, the agreement will combine computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis with digital twin technology to predict how ammonia could disperse following a leak. The partners said the capability could allow a broader range of leakage and accident scenarios to be assessed during the early stages of vessel design.

“By pairing CFD analysis with digital twin technology, this project gives designers a faster, more rigorous way to understand leak behaviour,” said Patrick Ryan, ABS senior vice president and chief technology officer.

Under the collaboration, HD KSOE will develop ammonia safety systems and lead related experimental research, while Siemens will provide simulation analysis and digital twin technology. ABS will contribute a safety assessment methodology built around digital twins.

The initiative comes as shipbuilders, owners and regulators examine alternative marine fuels as the industry seeks to reduce emissions. Ammonia is being considered as a potential fuel for future vessels, but its toxic properties mean that managing leaks and understanding dispersion behaviour are important elements of vessel safety.

Chang Kwangpil, head of the Future Technology Institute at HD KSOE, said the project reflected a broader transformation in shipbuilding.

“The AI transformation of the shipbuilding industry is not simply about applying new technologies; it is a process of innovating the way we work,” he said. “We expect the integration of AI and digital twin technologies to accelerate further in the R&D field as well.”

Siemens said physics-based simulation could complement digital twin technology in validating vessel designs.

“Physics-based simulation and advanced digital twin technologies are key to ensuring the safety and engineering reliability of next-generation vessels,” said Byung Joon Oh, country manager of Siemens Digital Industries Software Korea.

The companies said their collaboration would support faster safety validation for ammonia-fuelled vessels and wider digital innovation across the marine industry.