MOL joins Pilbara ammonia bunkering project in Australia
Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has signed a memorandum of understanding with NH3 Clean Energy and Oceania Marine Energy to develop ammonia bunkering at the ports of Dampier and Port Hedland.
IMAGE: Aerial view of Port Hedland. Pilbara Ports
Under the agreement, Norwegian ammonia producer NH3 Clean Energy (NH3) will supply about 300,000 mt/year of blue ammonia, and Australian bunker supplier Oceania Marine Energy (Oceania) will handle physical deliveries at the two ports.
As a shipping partner, MOL will focus on vessel deployment and operational integration within the project.
MOL has ordered nine ammonia-capable bulk carriers and chemical tankers. Three of these will be jointly owned with Belgium’s CMB. Tech and chartered to MOL for 12 years after delivery over the next couple of years.
It plans to deploy these three vessels on the Western Australia–East Asia iron ore trade route and work with NH3 and Oceania on ammonia procurement as well as safety and technical assessments for the planned bunkering trials.
This agreement builds on an existing partnership between NH3 Clean Energy, Oceania Marine and the Pilbara Ports Authority, which plans to conduct the first ammonia bunkering trials in Port Hedland next year. The port authority is also expected to issue guidelines and standards and develop supporting infrastructure for these trials.
The cross-sectoral collaboration aims to build a “compelling case” for Australian mining companies to adopt ammonia as a bunker fuel and help decarbonise the country’s iron ore exports, Charles Whitfield, chairman of NH3 Clean Energy said.
“By combining NH3’s planned clean ammonia production capacity, Pilbara Ports’ infrastructure, Oceania’s bunker services and MOL’s pioneering dual-fuel fleet, we would create an integrated end-to-end marine fuel solution that enables our customers to meet the IMO’s decarbonisation targets,” Oceania’s managing Director, Nick Bentley added.
By Konica Bhatt
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