Energy China completes first commercial ship-to-ship green ammonia bunkering

China Energy Engineering Group (Energy China) completed what it describes as the world’s first commercial ship-to-ship green ammonia bunkering operation on October 13, transferring 1,000 tonnes of fuel to CMB.TECH’s Mineral Europa at an anchorage in Zhoushan Port, Zhejiang Province, Marine Log reported. The dedicated bunker vessel Shenghang Yongle carried out the transfer, marking a step toward the commercial use of renewable ammonia as a marine fuel.

The ammonia was produced at Energy China’s integrated green hydrogen, ammonia and methanol project in Songyuan, Jilin Province. The facility uses wind and solar power to produce hydrogen via electrolysis, then converts it into ammonia. The project holds ISCC EU RFNBO certification and has a sales contract for green ammonia supplied to the shipping industry. A further 7,000 tonnes of ammonia have already reached a tank farm at Nanjing Port for subsequent bunkering operations. Energy China said the operation demonstrated an integrated supply chain spanning production, storage, transportation, bunkering and onboard use. The project was carried out in cooperation with CMB.TECH and Jiangsu Andefu Energy Technology, in which CMB.TECH holds a minority stake.

For fertilizer producers, the development points to an emerging source of demand for renewable ammonia beyond traditional fertilizer and power applications. Marine fuel consumption could help green ammonia projects secure long-term offtake agreements and improve their commercial viability, although competition among end-use markets will depend on fuel costs, infrastructure and regulatory incentives. A similar diversification of demand is emerging in the power sector, including a green ammonia supply agreement involving South Korea’s LOTTE Fine Chemical.

Source: Marine Log

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