NYK: successful ship-to-ship ammonia transfer near Spain
By on September 30, 2025
23,000 ton transfer simulates flexible supply methods
Click to learn more. Hose connections between the Berlian Ekuatorand the Eco Enchanted, via which 23,000 tons of ammonia was transferred. Source: NYK Lines.
NYK Line has conducted a successful ship-to-ship (STS) ammonia transfer off the coast of Ceuta, Spain near the Straits of Gibraltar. An “entire cargo” of 23,000 tons of ammonia was transferred from NYK’s ammonia carrier Berlian Ekuator to Trammo’s ammonia carrier Eco Enchanted, operated by Trammo, with the vessels fastened to each other on open water. While NYK has experience with STS transfers of oil, LNG and LPG, this is its first operation using ammonia.
Operational support was given by International Fender Provider, an oil and gas STS specialist in the Mediterranean that also assisted Trafigura in its first-ever ammonia STS transfer in June 2024 (also took place off of Ceuta). Not only do large-scale STS transfers help simulate ammonia bunkering operations, but (as the announcement notes) they also prove the feasibility of “flexible supply methods”, as global ammonia trade ramps up:
With [ammonia] demand expected to increase, the STS method, which is not constrained by port size or onshore equipment, is attracting attention as a flexible supply method compared to conventional land-based cargo handling methods. The success of this operation marks a significant milestone in developing an international supply network for ammonia.
From NYK’s official press release, 24 Sept 2025
Already in 2025, NYK Lines has presented operational data from operations of its retrofitted, ammonia-powered tugboat Sagigake in Yokohama harbor, confirmed that its ammonia-fueled mid-sized gas carrier is on track for delivery in 2026 (where it will be subsequently chartered by Yara Clean Ammonia), and explored future plans for bunkering infrastructure, including vessels and bunker booms. This has been a year of increased engagement and activity from the Japan-based shipping line, which is now a regular in ammonia energy headlines.