Ohmium will develop 300 MW of PEM electrolyser capacity for SwitcH2’s offshore hydrogen and ammonia production vessel. Moored off the coast of southern Europe, the 268m-long vessel will be powered by nearshore renewable energy, and the electrolysers fed by desalinated seawater, producing enough ammonia to “fuel multiple oceangoing vessels for a full year”.
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.
Fertiglobe has won the first H2Global pilot auction for renewable ammonia, promising to deliver 397,000 tons of renewable ammonia between 2027 and 2033. H2Global’s announcement comes at the end of a two year auction process. Following the H2Global announcement, Fertiglobe committed to a twenty-year offtake deal for renewable hydrogen feedstock from the Egypt Green Hydrogen project, demonstrating the investor certainty fostered by the auction.
Meet the Port of Rotterdam, OCI Global and Chane, three organisations at the forefront of preparing the Netherlands for increased ammonia imports. In this webinar, learn how updates to PGS-12 - the Dutch national guideline for ammonia storage and handling - will help unlock expanded ammonia imports to Rotterdam and other key ports.
In my last message as AEA President, I wish to convey my sincere gratitude to the membership and AEA staff. I am excited to see the industry moving into its next phase, and will be proud to support incoming President Vibeke Rasmussen as the AEA strides forward in its current and future initiatives: certification, advocacy, safety and public perception.
Fluxys and Advario have issued a call for market interest in ammonia import capacity at their new, open-access terminal at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. Fluxys is also engaged in the HyBex project, a pilot commodity trading hub that will help establish a hydrogen market in Belgium. Also in Europe, the Port of Rotterdam and the Port of Shannon Foynes will collaborate to develop a green fuels corridor.
2024 has already been a busy year, with ammonia discussions at an exciting phase. Despite the hesitancy and doubts about ammonia I have heard at recent events, I continue to deliver the same constructive messages, and urge the AEA membership and networks to use the information available to continue to promote ammonia. Our upcoming annual event in New Orleans will explore progress in establishing ammonia markets, and I can’t wait to see you all again in-person.
Yara and Azane have received approval from Norway’s Directorate for Civil Protection to construct their first ammonia bunker facility at Fjord Base, with the bulk of bunker operations to provide offshore supply vessels with ammonia fuel. In the Netherlands, the Dutch EPA has granted a permit to OCI Global to construct a 60,000 ton ammonia storage tank in Rotterdam, based on requirements that will feature in the updated version of PGS-12.
A new roadmap from the Institute for Sustainable Process Technology (ISPT) has set a number of key drivers and enablers for ammonia imports of up to 25 million tons per year in the Antwerpen-Rotterdam-Rijn-Ruhr area by 2030. Public acceptance, a careful approach to safety and environmental concerns, regulatory updates and new ammonia pipelines will all be needed.