Fortescue ship is world's first to use ammonia as fuel

Fortescue has announced that it has — with the support of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), government agencies, research institutes and industry partners — become the first to demonstrate the use of ammonia, in combination with diesel in the combustion process, as a marine fuel.

The Singapore-flagged Fortescue Green Pioneer was loaded with liquid ammonia from the existing ammonia facility at Vopak Banyan Terminal on Jurong Island for the fuel trial. In completing the fuel trial, the Fortescue Green Pioneer has also received flag approval from the Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS) and the ‘Gas Fueled Ammonia’ notation by classification society DNV to use ammonia, in combination with diesel, as a marine fuel.

Globally, ammonia is used in agriculture and industry. It is manufactured as a chemical by combining nitrogen from the air with hydrogen. As a carrier for hydrogen, ammonia can be transported to demand centres for power generation and used as a marine fuel in support of the energy transition. Several dual-fuelled ammonia vessels have been ordered by shipowners.

The Fortescue Green Pioneer started its journey towards becoming the world’s first ocean-going ammonia-powered vessel in 2022 when Fortescue successfully converted a four-stroke engine to run on ammonia, in combination with diesel, at its land-based testing facility in Perth, Western Australia.

Following the success of the land-based testing, conversion work commenced on the vessel at Seatrium’s Benoi yard from July 2023. This included the installation of the gas fuel delivery system, safety systems and infrastructure, and the successful conversion of two of the vessel’s four engines to enable the use of ammonia, combined with diesel in the combustion process, to power the vessel. The two remaining engines onboard the Fortescue Green Pioneer will operate on conventional fuels when required.

In December 2023, the vessel sailed from Singapore to the Middle East and was showcased at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and associated meetings (COP28/CMP18/CMA5) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. World leaders, industry captains and members of international organisations were among the guests hosted on the vessel.

Teo Eng Dih, Chief Executive, MPA, said: “The safe conduct of this fuel trial supports the holistic assessment of the use of ammonia as a marine fuel, and the development of standards and safety procedures. This will inform the crew training, emergency and bunkering procedures which MPA, agencies and the tripartite community are developing in support of making available safe and cost-efficient solutions as MaritimeSG and the international shipping community undergo the energy transition.”

“Australia and Singapore are nations for whom the seas are our lifeblood and Fortescue has seen firsthand the willingness of Singapore to lead the world in taking brave, innovative action to build green ammonia shipping,” said Andrew Forrest, Chairman of Fortescue. “The Fortescue Green Pioneer is proof that safe, technical solutions for ammonia power engines exist.”

Image: Fortescue Green Pioneer at Port of Singapore. Credit: Fortescue.