Training Session on Alternative Marine Fuels held at MMD Chennai

The Mercantile Marine Department (MMD), Chennai, organized a training session on “Alternative Marine Fuels” for its officers and staff on 31st August 2026. The session was conducted by Mr. Prasad Nayak, General Manager (Training), Anglo Eastern Ship Management, and was attended with keen interest by officers and staff of the Department.

About the Resource Person

Mr. Prasad Nayak brings over twenty-five years of progressive experience in the maritime industry, having risen from Chief Engineer at sea to senior executive leadership ashore. He is internationally recognized for his expertise in alternative marine fuels and sustainable shipping, and currently holds several key positions of responsibility in this domain:

1. Chairman, Ammonia Fuel Technical Committee, Society for Gas as Marine Fuel (SGMF)

2. Core Group Member on Ammonia as Marine Fuel, Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping

3. Lead Expert, Maritime Just Transition Task Force, constituted under the United Nations Global Compact, the International Chamber of Shipping, and the International Transport Workers' Federation

Highlights of the Session

The training session provided a comprehensive overview of the evolving landscape of marine fuels and covered, among other things:

1. The need for alternative fuels in shipping and the drivers behind the industry's transition away from conventional fuel oils

2. An overview of the principal alternative fuel options available to the shipping industry today

3. A focused examination of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Ammonia, and Methanol as marine fuels, including their operational and safety considerations

4. The training challenges facing seafarers, and the forthcoming regulatory requirements associated with these new fuels

5. The interim guidelines presently in place for the safe use of alternative fuels

6. A comparative discussion of the approach adopted under the Maritime Just Transition Task Force framework vis-à-vis the existing STCW regime

The session generated an engaging discussion among the participants, who raised several practical questions regarding the industry's transition to alternative fuels.

Felicitation

On this occasion, the officers of MMD Chennai felicitated Mr. Prasad Nayak with a memento in appreciation of his valuable contribution and for sharing his expertise with the Department.

MMD Chennai places continued emphasis on capacity building and knowledge-sharing initiatives of this nature, to keep its officers abreast of emerging developments in maritime technology and regulation, particularly in the fast-evolving area of sustainable and alternative marine fuels.