MOL joins Australian partners in advancing low-emission ammonia bunkering

Japan’s shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has shaken hands with two Australia-based companies, NH3 Clean Energy and Oceania Marine Energy, to embark on the two maritime players’ low-emission ammonia bunkering initiative.

As disclosed, the three partners signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) regarding the development of clean ammonia bunkering operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia on October 7.

The agreement reportedly makes MOL the ‘first’ ocean-going maritime transport company to participate in this endeavor.

According to MOL, the tripartite effort will involve collaborating on the transition of iron ore carriers in the Pilbara region—the home to the ‘world’s largest’ iron ore export port and a major port of call for Capesize bulkers—to ammonia fuel and the realization of the WAH2 project.

The WAH2 project is NH3’s flagship effort that aims to supply low-emission ammonia to the decarbonizing economies of the Asia Pacific, such as Japan and South Korea, and to act as a source of decarbonized bunker fuel for bulk carriers transporting iron ore from Australia