Port of Rotterdam

In our July episode of Project Features, we were joined by the Port of Rotterdam, OCI Global and Chane to explore current and future ammonia imports into Rotterdam. With significant ammonia import targets set for 2050, terminal projects are already underway in Rotterdam, including a four-phase expansion of OCI Terminal Europoort, and a new distribution hub from Chane. These developments will proceed according to a modern, updated set of guidelines for ammonia storage and handling in the Netherlands, known as PGS-12.

Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore has announced new initiatives and a host of updates on ongoing maritime ammonia projects. Headlines include: green & digital shipping corridors to Rotterdam and Australia, an RFI for ammonia transport from select global locations that will fuel power generation and bunker demonstrations on Jurong Island, and a new training facility for seafarers. Also during the event, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez visited the moored Fortescue Green Pioneer.

Spanish energy & chemicals giant Cepsa has announced two new, significant ammonia partnerships this week. Cepsa will supply renewable ammonia imports to ACE Terminal in Rotterdam from 2027, realizing the vision for a green maritime corridor between the Netherlands and the Mediterranean. And, together with Fertiberia, Cepsa will develop a 1 GW renewable hydrogen plant near the La Rábida energy park. The plant will produce hydrogen feedstock for Fertiberia’s Palos de la Frontera ammonia & fertiliser manufacturing complex, and Cepsa’s own industrial needs in the area.

The Port of Rotterdam Authority will lead a feasibility study into the establishment of an onsite, million-tonne-per-year ammonia cracker. The announcement caps a big year of progress for the Port of Rotterdam, with preparations well underway to receive ammonia imports into Europe.

Since the Clydebank Declaration was signed last December, the prospect of ammonia-fueled, green maritime corridors has been steadily rising. The Global Maritime Forum has just released a valuable discussion paper on potential definitions and approaches for green corridors. Recent announcements in Europe, Singapore, Australia and the Nordic countries demonstrate growing momentum. For maritime stakeholders to capture early learnings and best manage the complex task of alternative maritime fuel scale-up, the opportune time is right now.

Air Products and Gunvor will jointly develop a renewable ammonia import terminal at Gunvor Petroleum’s existing refinery & distribution facilities in Rotterdam Europoort. The partners expect to be providing hydrogen to the Netherlands in 2026, with the new terminal receiving imports of renewable ammonia from Air Products production projects around the world. The new project is now the third ammonia import terminal under development at the Port of Rotterdam, and comes the same week as Dutch gas network operator Gasunie announced that it had started construction of a national hydrogen distribution network in the Netherlands.

The state government of Queensland has signed a new agreement with the Port of Rotterdam to develop an ammonia export supply chain between Australia and the EU. The announcement comes the same week that the Port of Rotterdam authority set a target of supplying industrial centers in northwest Europe with 4.6 million tonnes of hydrogen by 2030 - the vast majority of which will need to be imported. As to the question of when those imports will begin, the Rocky Mountain Institute has released a new report indicating the EU should be ready to receive renewable hydrogen as soon as significant capacity comes online in 2024.

Two developments this week as progress continues towards clean ammonia supply chains between the EU and the Middle East:

1. ADNOC signed multiple agreements with a diverse set of German organisations to study, implement and accelerate clean hydrogen supply chains between Germany and the UAE. Among the agreements is the execution of a blue ammonia “demonstration cargo” shipment from the UAE to Germany this year, via Fertiglobe’s Fertil plant in al Ruwais, UAE.

2. The UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and the Dutch Ministry for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation signed a new MoU on hydrogen energy, with a view to supplying Europe via green hydrogen & ammonia imports into the Port of Rotterdam.

As we reported earlier this March, Namibian President Hage Geingob announced his government is looking to develop and implement national green hydrogen and green ammonia strategies as part of an economy-wide "prosperity" initiative. In an interview with CNBCAfrica this week, Presidential Advisor on Economy James Mnyupe added some more updates.

Welcome to the Ammonia Wrap: a summary of all the latest announcements, news items and publications about ammonia energy. This week: updates from India, the PROMETEO project - continuous hydrogen production by SOEC, Viridis Bulk Carriers - a new zero-emissions shipping company, Korean Register AiP for ammonia bunkering vessel, two green hydrogen import MoUs for the Port of Rotterdam and Haldor Topsoe and Nel team up to offer green fuel solutions.