Pilbara clean fuel bunkering hub: a multi-party strategic roadmap
By on July 13, 2025
Government and industry partners launch roadmap in Perth
Click to learn more. Partners in the Pilbara Ports’ strategy roadmap at the recent AEA APAC conference in Perth. (L to R) Nick Bentley, MD Oceania Marine Energy, Hon Amber-Jade Sanderson MLA, West Australian Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation; Manufacturing; Skills and TAFE; Pilbara, Stephen Hall, CEO NH3 Clean Energy, Karlene Bylund, Executive General Manager Customer and Strategy, Pilbara Ports, and Matthew Bowdler, Principal Sustainability Advisor, Pilbara Ports.
Alongside the recent Ammonia Energy Association APAC conference in Australia, Pilbara Ports Authority launched the “Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub” strategy, a roadmap aimed at the creation of a bunkering hub at Pilbara’s Port Hedland, focused on low-carbon marine fuels such as ammonia.
Leveraging key factors such as the Pilbara’s high shipping volumes, proximal location to emerging ammonia producers, and short transit distances from major markets in Asia, the strategy seeks to make the Pilbara a major global hub for clean marine fuel and international shipping decarbonisation. Port Hedland is the largest bulk export port globally. In 2023-24, Pilbara Ports handled over 7,700 vessel visits, chiefly servicing the Pilbara-China iron ore transport route.
The strategy, developed in collaboration with major maritime players, highlights that the adoption of lower carbon ammonia fuels has the potential to cut shipping emissions in the region by up to 94% (from upwards of 9 million tons of CO2 per year to under 560,000 tons). The bunkering hub would be the first of its type in Australia, supporting decarbonisation across shipping, resource and maritime sectors.
Click to enlarge. Technical, safety and operating lessons from executing ammonia transfers in the Pilbara. Source: the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation.
The roadmap comes after a successful ship-to-ship ammonia transfer trial at anchorage in the Port of Dampier in September 2024, in which 2,700 tonnes of ammonia was transferred between the Green Pioneer and Navigator Global – a key milestone on the road to large scale clean fuel bunkering. The trial was completed in collaboration with the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) and Yara Clean Ammonia. A post-trail report by the GCMD confirmed that ship-to-ship ammonia transfer at anchorage is feasible subject to adherence to, and implementation of, recommended safeguards and operational controls. GCMD also presented detailed technical and operational learnings from the trial at the recent APAC conference.
Working towards delivering the strategy and establishing the bunkering facility, Pilbara Ports will now work collaboratively with several industry players on infrastructure, regulation, supply, demand, safety, economics, stakeholder engagement and a potential trial at Port Hedland next year.
Innovative thinking has positioned the Pilbara’s mining industry as global leaders. Now the region can lead the way in slashing carbon emissions across the shipping, resource and maritime sectors by becoming a clean fuel bunkering hub. This is an excellent example of collaboration across industry and government to help us meet our decarbonisation targets.
Amber-Jade Sanderson, Energy and Decarbonisation Minister & Pilbara Minister, in Pilbara Ports’ official press release, 17 June 2025
As the world transitions to cleaner energy, we’re investing in the infrastructure and partnerships that will make clean fuel bunkering a reality – right here on our doorstep. This Strategy positions our ports at the forefront of global sustainability efforts.
Kevin Michel, Pilbara MLA, Pilbara Port’s official press release, 17 June 2025
Click to enlarge. Overview of NH3 Clean Energy’s flagship ammonia project near Dampier. From Stephen Hall, WAH2 Clean Ammonia: the pragmatic energy transition (June 2025).
Also in Perth, the conference audience heard updates from the most advanced ammonia fuel production project in the roadmap consortium: NH3 Clean Energy. The WAH2 project will be located near the Port of Dampier (around 250km down the coast from Port Hedland), with FEED work to commence soon. NH3 Clean Energy recently announced a successful fundraising round to progress the project, a CCS MoU with Woodside, and a bunkering JDA with Pilbara Ports and Oceania Marine Energy.
AiP for SeaTech Solutions and Oceania Marine Energy for ammonia bunker vessel to be deployed in the Pilbara
Participants in the AiP ceremony at the recent AEA APAC conference in Perth. (L to R) Elisa Woodward, Non-Executive Director of SeaTech Solutions (Australia), Nick Bentley, Managing Director of Oceania Marine Energy, and Jonathan Abrahams, Head of Maritime Advisory (ANZ & India) DNV.
Also at the Ammonia Energy APAC Conference, for their design of a new 10,000 cbm ammonia bunkering vessel, SeaTech Solutions International and Oceania Marine Energy were awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) by classification society DNV. The AiP follows an MoU between DNV and the two companies signed in April this year.
Once built, the 130-metre long ammonia bunkering vessel will be deployed at the Port of Dampier in the Pilbara region by 2030. The vessel will have a supply capacity of up to 9,000 cbm of fuel, enough for two round trips of iron ore shipment between Australia and North Asia. Features such as optimised arrangement and containment systems will also enable efficient ship-to-ship transfers while ensuring safe ammonia handling as a cargo and marine fuel.
The completion of this MOU and Approval in Principle (AiP) award by DNV for our 10,000m³ clean ammonia bunker vessel marks a major milestone in developing the supply and bunker operation foundations for the low-carbon shipping Pilbara–Asia green-corridor. This initiative reinforces Oceania’s commitment to deliver 1 million tonnes of clean marine fuel by 2030 and positions Dampier in Western Australia as a future leader, enabling the shipping industry’s transition to near net-zero marine fuel.
Nick Bentley, MD at Oceania Marine Energy in DNV’s official press release, 18 June 2025
Our vessel design incorporates a high level of automation and smart control systems to ensure safe handling of ammonia, enhancing both crew safety and operational reliability during ship-to-ship transfers. This Approval in Principle marks a key milestone, not just for the vessel, but for the broader ecosystem that must be in place to support ammonia bunkering.
Prabjot Singh Chopra, VP Technology at SeaTech Solutions, in DNV’s official press release, 18 June 2025
BHP: charter contracts for two ammonia dual-fueled vessels to operate out of the Pilbara
Click to learn more. BHP and COSCO executives sign the time charter contracts in Guangzhou last month. Source: BHP.
Also on clean fuel vessels and bunkering, BHP, which was party to the Pilbara clean fuel bunkering roadmap, has signed contracts with COSCO Shipping for the charter of two ammonia dual-fuel Newcastlemax bulk carriers.
The two vessels are expected to be delivered from 2028 and will be mainly deployed in the transportation of iron ore from the Pilbara to northeast Asia. When ammonia-powered, these vessels have capacity to reduce GHG emissions by at least 50% and up to 95% per voyage relative to conventional fuels.
The 5-year time charter contracts will contribute towards lowering the GHG emissions intensity of BHP chartered fleet and in seaborne iron transportation more broadly. The deployment of these vessels will also strengthen demand for low or no carbon fuels, consequently boosting their production. This development moves BHP closer to its commitment to ensure that 10% of total products shipped to its customers using the company’s time charter vessels will be powered by zero GHG emissions fuels by 2030.
The company will now work closely with COSCO Shipping towards delivery and safe operations of the vessel. There is also an ongoing tender process to source lower and low to zero GHG emissions ammonia for the new vessels.
As one of the world’s largest dry bulk charterers, BHP sees this as an opportunity to help establish a pathway for ammonia to be a marine fuel for a globally significant industry where emissions can be difficult to abate.
Our tender process for the design and charter of ammonia dual-fuelled bulk carriers has brought together shipowners, fuel suppliers, engine-makers, and regulatory bodies from around the world.
Emma Roberts, BHP VP, Maritime and Supply Chain Excellence, in her organisation’s official press release, 2 July 2025
The contracts we are signing today—for two 210K DWT ammonia dual-fuel bulk carriers—are part of more than just a project to enable alternative marine fuels. It’s a symbol of how our collaboration is evolving with the times. It also reflects the real progress being made to the ‘Australia–China Green Shipping Corridor’.
Ammonia is one of the most promising marine fuels with zero-carbon potential. These vessels will stand at the forefront of technological and environmental advancement—not just for COSCO Shipping and BHP, but for the broader dry bulk sector. They represent a firm commitment to supporting the global climate and Chinese dual-carbon goal.
Ji Lin, COSCO Shipping VP, in BHP’s official press release, 2 July 2025