Trafigura completes its first ship-to-ship transfer of ammonia
By on July 09, 2024
6,000 tons in the Straits of Gibraltar
Click to learn more about the ammonia STS transfer between the Green Power and the Gas Aegean in the Straits of Gibraltar. Source: Trafigura.
Trafigura reports its first successful ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of ammonia has taken place near the Port of Ceuta in the Straits of Gibraltar. From the medium gas carrier Green Power, around 6,000 tons of ammonia was transferred to the small gas carrier Gas Aegean (both pictured to the right). The ammonia originated at CF Industries’ Donaldsonville complex in Louisiana, USA, and will be delivered to Fertiberia in Spain for the production of feritliser.
The operation was conducted by International Fender Provider (an oil and gas STS specialist in the Mediterranean), with Next Maritime acting as shipping agent. Trafigura notes that STS transfers, while “commonly used for other commodities to load cargo onto more suitable vessels for delivery to the destination”, are rarely used in the current global ammonia seaborne trade. In May, Trafigura placed an order for four ammonia-powered, medium gas carriers, to be delivered from South Korea in 2027.
Our first safe and efficient ship-to-ship transfer of ammonia supports our growing ammonia trading activity. Importantly, it demonstrates the feasibility of ammonia bunkering in the future as demand grows for the hydrogen-based low carbon fuels that will enable the shipping industry to decarbonise.
Andrea Olivi, Head of Wet Freight for Trafigura in his organisation’s official press release, 1 July 2024
We are proud to partner with Trafigura on this historic STS with Green Power, one of our seven modern MGCs for ammonia transport. This STS transfer demonstrates our capability to offer customers end-to-end floating pipeline solutions for energy transition cargoes that can offer greater flexibility and speed-to-market than conventional onshore storage tanks, accelerating the clean energy transition.
Unnamed spokesperson from Purus in Trafigura’s official press release, 1 July 2024
In April, Navigator Gas completed its own successful STS ammonia transfer in the Port of Ngqura, South Africa. Over eleven hours, 25,300 tons of ammonia were transferred between two moored LPG carriers, simulating a large-scale bunker fuel transfer.