The world’s first ship-to-ship transfer of ammonia has successfully taken place using vessels anchored in a working port environment.
The operation is a result of the collaborative relationship between Yara Clean Ammonia, the Pilbara Ports Authority and the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD). Under the leadership of GCMD, additional partners were attracted to facilitate the execution of this transfer operation.
The transfer was conducted in Port Dampier in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, as part of the work to enhance the Pilbara’s potential as a bunkering hub to fuel ships with low-emission ammonia.
The two ship-to-ship transfers were undertaken between the Green Pioneer, a 35,000 cubic metres (cbm) ammonia carrier (owner MOL), and the Navigator Global, a 22,500 cbm ammonia carrier (owner Navigator Gas).
The trial involved a dual transfer of 4,000 cbm (approximately 2,715 tonnes) of ammonia, first from the Green Pioneer to the Navigator Global, and then back to the Green Pioneer.
“This demonstrates that ammonia transfer can be done with the highest safety standards and efficiency in a working port environment,” said Murali Srinivasan, SVP Commercial Yara Clean Ammonia.”
Yara Pilbara’s Chief Operations Officer, Laurent Trost, added: “We currently have the Project Yuri renewable hydrogen demonstration plant under construction on our existing lease which will begin injecting green molecules into our ammonia production process next year, and we are also investigating carbon capture and storage which would swiftly and significantly cut carbon output from our operations.”
Earlier this summer, Yara International announced it would open a renewable hydrogen plant in Herøya, Norway.