The Port of Rotterdam has completed its first ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering pilot, marking a key step in preparing for ammonia-fuelled vessels expected from 2026 or 2027.
The pilot involved the transfer of 800 cubic metres of liquid ammonia—cooled to -33°C—between two vessels over a period of 2.5 hours at the Maasvlakte 2 APM terminal.
According to the port, the operation demonstrated that ammonia bunkering can be carried out safely without any release of the fuel into the environment.
Several stakeholders collaborated on the pilot, including OCI, which owns and operates the port’s ammonia terminal, and Trammo, which supplied the ammonia tankers.
James Fisher Fendercare contributed equipment and technical support, while bunker barge operator Victrol offered additional expertise.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority coordinated the initiative, with oversight from the DCMR Environmental Protection Agency, Rijnmond Safety Region (VRR), and the Joint Fire Service (GB).
The Port of Rotterdam Authority uses the international Port Readiness Level assessment tool to prepare for new marine fuels. Having already achieved readiness for LNG and methanol, the successful pilot now raises the port’s ammonia readiness to level 7.
This means bunkering can proceed on a project basis under established safety procedures.
Although the trial used grey ammonia, which has the same properties as its clean counterpart, the long-term goal is to enable the use of clean ammonia as a carbon-free marine fuel. This is seen as a key solution for the large-scale decarbonisation of the shipping sector, reported the port.
The pilot forms part of the European Union-funded MAGPIE programme, which supports innovation and sustainability in ports. Led by a consortium of ports, companies, and research institutions—including the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping—the programme aims to integrate green energy solutions into port operations.
The knowledge gained from the ammonia bunkering trial will be shared with EU bodies, other ports, and international stakeholders.
In similar developments, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) recently released a new Technical Reference (TR) 129 on methanol bunkering via the Singapore Standards Council (SSC). TR 129 outlines the requirements for the safe handling, transfer, and measurement of methanol during bunkering operations.