Yara Clean Ammonia, recognised as the world’s largest trader and distributor of ammonia, has announced its central role in a landmark maritime decarbonisation initiative led by the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation. The successful completion of the first-ever ship-to-ship transfer of ammonia at anchorage in Western Australia represents a major milestone in establishing ammonia as a viable marine fuel.

Historic Maritime Trial in Western Australia

The pilot operation took place within the anchorage area of Port Dampier under the supervision of the Pilbara Port Authority (PPA). The trial simulated real-world bunkering conditions and demonstrated that ammonia transfer can be executed safely and effectively in offshore environments.

Yara Clean Ammonia served as one of three core partners in the initiative, alongside GCMD and PPA, contributing significantly to the operation’s success through multiple critical roles. The company supplied the ammonia used in the transfer and chartered the Green Pioneer of MOL, one of the two gas carriers utilised in the operation. Additionally, YCA contributed technical expertise and industry knowledge to safety studies, risk assessments, and emergency response planning.

Industry Leadership Perspective

Murali Srinivasan, senior vice president commercial at Yara Clean Ammonia, characterised the successful trial as a pivotal step toward building trust in ammonia as a zero-to-near-zero emission (ZNZ) maritime fuel. He emphasised that the achievement resulted from world-class collaboration and careful planning, demonstrating that ammonia bunkering is both feasible and practical when proper safeguards are implemented.

The trial builds upon insights from GCMD’s prior safety study conducted in Singapore and confirms that ammonia STS transfers at anchorage are both safe and scalable when appropriate controls are established.

Strategic Positioning in the Pilbara

Yara International’s established presence in the Pilbara region positions the company uniquely to lead the development of ZNZ ammonia supply chains. The company operates an 850,000 metric tonne per annum ammonia plant in Karratha, with approximately 70 percent of production exported through Port Dampier.

The company is advancing Project Yuri, a renewable ammonia project targeting startup by 2026, while exploring additional low-emission ammonia initiatives at its Yara Pilbara Fertilisers (YPF) site. These developments strengthen Yara’s capacity to support the emerging ammonia bunkering market.

Future Infrastructure Development

Tessa Major, vice president of Infrastructure development & demand aggregation at Yara Clean Ammonia, highlighted the company’s strategic advantages in supporting future ammonia bunkering operations in the Pilbara region. She noted that the combination of strategic location, integrated logistics, and upcoming renewable and low-carbon ammonia production positions YCA favourably for market development.

Major emphasised that the company’s role extends beyond ammonia supply to helping shape the standards and infrastructure necessary for global maritime decarbonisation. This comprehensive approach demonstrates Yara’s commitment to facilitating the broader energy transition in shipping.

Global Impact and Knowledge Sharing

The pilot operation has generated crucial real-world data and established best practices for future ammonia bunkering operations on a global scale. Yara Clean Ammonia maintains its commitment to knowledge sharing and collaboration with partners and regulators to accelerate the energy transition within the shipping industry.

The successful trial represents a significant advancement in maritime decarbonisation efforts and establishes a foundation for scaling ammonia as a marine fuel across international shipping routes.

For more information visit www.yara.com