Yara and Northern Lights have entered into a binding agreement for a carbon, capture & sequestration chain to decarbonise ammonia production at Yara’s Sluiskil plant in the Netherlands. From 2025, 800,000 tonnes of captured CO2 will be transported and sequestered at Northern Lights’ site off the coast of Norway each year.
Following a successful engine retrofit, FFI’s dual fuel vessel debuted at COP28 this month. Unable to run on or carry ammonia fuel due to restrictions from local authorities, FFI Chairman Andrew Forrest called for the world’s ports to catch-up to technological progress and update their regulations. FFI will also be a key part of the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub (one of seven hubs awarded funding by the US DoE), and has added to its vertical integration capabilities with the opening of a new technical innovation centre in the UK.
Maersk Tankers has ordered up to ten very large ammonia carriers (VLACs) from Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (HHI). The Korean-built vessels will have a capacity of 93,000 m3, with Maersk to make a decision to install ammonia-capable engines based on “regulatory and customer” support.
ISCC PLUS-certified renewable ammonia from Fertiglobe will be used in a low-carbon laundry powder demonstration project by Unilever in India. In Germany, bio-ammonia produced by OCI Global (also ISCC PLUS-certified) will be used to produce methylmethacrylate, a key feedstock in PLEXIGLAS® production. The two announcements join a number of supply chains which have now incorporated low-carbon and renewable ammonia.
Topsoe will deploy its new dynamic ammonia technology at Allied Green Ammonia’s under-development project on the Gove Peninsula, Northern Territory (and potentially its solid oxide electrolysis technology). Allied is targeting a production start in late 2028, with an initial capacity of more than 900,000 tonnes per year.
Centrica Energy, Bord Gáis Energy and Mitsubishi Power will explore the development of Europe's first ammonia-fired power generation facility, based on the existing Whitegate power plant in Cork.
DAI Infrastruktur and Siemens Energy will collaborate on the renewable ammonia project in Egypt, with Siemens to supply electrolysers and equipment for hydrogen production. In June, DAI Infrastruktur announced that Naftomar Shipping & Trading has committed to offtake 400,000 tonnes per year of ammonia for a decade from Project Ra, meaning 85% of production capacity is now covered by offtake agreements.
Höegh expects the first pair of ammonia-powered car carriers to be delivered late next year from China Merchants Heavy Industry at the Jiangsu Shipyard in China. This month, a new LNG/ammonia tank was installed in the first of the vessels, and MAN ES engines have arrived from Korea, with installation to take place in early December. Höegh has also announced a partnership with Yara Clean Ammonia to develop a future supply of ammonia fuel for the vessels.
Horisont Energi has signed two offtake agreements for ammonia from its under-development Norwegian plant. German gas importer & wholesaler VNG will purchase between 100,000 - 300,000 tonnes per year to distribute to its German industrial customers. Local gas supplier Barents NaturGass intends to purchase 100,000 tonnes per year for distribution to customers around Hammerfest, including its potential use as transportation fuel.
NYK reports the retrofitting of the LNG-fueled tugboat Sakigake has begun in Yokohama. An ammonia-fueled engine developed by IHI Power Systems, NYK, Japan Engine Corporation and Nihon Shipyard will replace the conventional system on board, with the tug due to hit the water by 2024. NYK & Chilean copper producer CODELCO have also announced they are developing an ammonia-powered Handymax bulk carrier, aiming to develop a fleet to service the cross-Pacific copper trade.