23,500 tons of ammonia certified under the Fertilizer Institute’s Verified Ammonia Carbon Intensity (VACI) Program were loaded onto the Trafigura-operated Oceanic Star in Louisiana last month. The cargo is en route to Antwerp, where chemicals and materials manufacturer Envalior will use the low-carbon ammonia as a feedstock to produce the monomer caprolactam and downstream resins.
Spain-based explosives and chemicals manufacturer Maxam has announced the inauguration of a new renewable ammonia plant at its manufacturing site outside Burgos in the north of the country. The containerised, modular unit produces ammonia from electricity, air and water, and was provided by TalusAg.
Pherousa Green Technologies has announced that its ammonia cracking-based maritime propulsion system will now enter a two-year pilot testing and deployment program. Pherousa will look to deploy its system on a series of 63,000 dwt Ultramax dry bulk carriers, with the first vessel to officially launch in 2030.
Japanese glass bottle manufacturer Nihon Yamamura Glass and the University of Osaka will embark on a research project to substitute city gas fuel for ammonia fuel in glass manufacturing.
One spot per week will be allocated to a vessel registered as dual-fuel and capable of operating on at least one lower-emission fuel, such as ammonia. For the initial phases of the scheme, immediate use of the fuel will not be required, and the Canal Authority “recognize the investment and capacity to operate them once supply becomes available”.
Foshan Xianhu Laboratory and its collaborators have unveiled a new ammonia-fueled aluminium rod furnace, replacing a conventional, gas-powered multi-bar furnace in the production process.
The Hydrogen Council has released its first Global Hydrogen Compass report, a state-of-play look at the industry. Ammonia is currently the largest offtake sector for clean hydrogen, accounting for 43% of the 3.6 million tons per year of binding offtake secured to date. Policy and regulatory clarity will be key to locking in further offtake, and developing the impressive global project pipeline.
Hanwha Power Systems has received Approval in Principle from the American Bureau of Shipping for its ammonia gas turbine conversion design. Hanwha and partners are aiming for conversion of LNG carriers by 2028.
First Ammonia Motors has successfully demonstrated a pure ammonia-fed V8 engine, which utilises proprietary onboard heat recycling and ammonia cracking technology to generate hydrogen as a combustion co-fuel.
Japan Engine Corporation has announced commercial readiness for its new 2-stroke, dual-fuel engine. The first engine unit will be installed on an ammonia-fueled medium gas carrier next month, with the vessel scheduled to enter service in 2026.