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SINTEF: Ammonia as a sustainable fuel option for shipping

‘More research is required to understand the best options (fuel or energy carrier) for individual industrial applications’, says Executive Vice President in SINTEF.
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The Executive Vice President of Norwegian research company Stiftelsen for industriell og teknisk forskning (SINTEF) recently published an article which discusses using ammonia as an alternative bunker fuel for the shipping industry, together with its significant positive environmental impact.

At present, up to 90% of all container ships are powered by heavy fuel oil (HFO). On a typical long-haul journey, a large ship can emit more than 5,000 tons of CO2 along with harmful pollutants including nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulfur oxide (SOx) and particulate matter including soot.

If ammonia were to be used in its place, the same journey would result in close to zero emissions. With a global fleet of more than 5,000 container ships crossing the oceans every day, the climate benefits are significant.

Introducing ammonia for long-haul shipping

Ammonia is known by many as a foul-smelling, toxic chemical used in agriculture and cleaning products. But it’s also a flexible fuel and energy carrier. It has an energy density by volume almost 30% higher that of liquid hydrogen and it’s easier to distribute.

The potential of hydrogen as a feedstock, reduction agent and zero-emission energy carrier in industry is well-known. Now, the climate possibilities for ammonia as a fuel are an appealing option to slash emissions from transport such as long-haul shipping and aviation. It will also play an important role in driving the development of a hydrogen economy.

But ammonia on its own isn’t suitable, as pure ammonia is difficult to burn efficiently due to its inherently low flame speed. Researchers have proposed utilising waste heat from the combustion process to partially decompose/crack the ammonia, which results in a fuel mix of ammonia, nitrogen and hydrogen. Such technology is relatively easy to scale-up to even the largest cargo vessels.

For aviation, the choice between greener options (liquid hydrogen, ammonia and batteries) and synthetic hydrocarbon fuels is what matters most. That’s because certification and technology development for zero-emission aircraft is a demanding and costly endeavor for a commercially funded industry such as aviation.

Ammonia: fuel and energy carrier

The use of ammonia as a fuel and fertilizer is nothing new, dating back to the early 1800s. It also enjoyed a resurgence during World War II when oil reserves were depleted. Advances in solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technologies mean ammonia could have a future as a fuel in diverse industrial applications, including shipping, but massive scale-up is required.

Although ammonia is among the most traded chemicals in the world it is not used for energy purposes. Studies have shown that to convert deep sea shipping to ammonia, the present capacity to produce ammonia will have to be quadrupled by 2050, representing a global market of $5 trillion (PDF).

Ammonia can also be used as a reduction agent in the iron and steel industry, and it is widely used as a feedstock in the chemical sector. In varying proportions, hydrogen-ammonia-nitrogen mixes can imitate the properties of different fossil fuels.

Ammonia also has huge potential as an energy carrier for hydrogen because of its higher energy density and milder storage temperature/pressure requirements. This cuts costs and makes transport more efficient, both key elements in building a future hydrogen and ammonia distribution infrastructure.

However, this does not mean that ammonia is the best solution for transport and use of hydrogen, as each case will have to be assessed individually. Both liquid hydrogen and liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC) as well as compressed hydrogen have their virtues as well. It all depends on the application, footprint, weight, location are among factors which will determine the best option.

The production of green hydrogen (using direct renewable energy sources such as offshore wind) is already virtually carbon-free, while blue hydrogen (using carbon capture and storage) provides another route to a climate-friendly ammonia solution. Once transported, the ammonia can be cracked back to hydrogen.

Building a hydrogen and ammonia economy

The varied potential uses of ammonia to tackle emissions from otherwise hard-to-abate industries also helps to drive the necessary hydrogen economy.

The greenest form of hydrogen production using direct renewable energy will take time to scale up, limited by the availability of cheap and abundant renewable electricity.

Until then, the development of blue hydrogen solutions using carbon capture and storage can provide a short-term reduction in emissions with the long-term investment in hydrogen infrastructure required to meet the challenging goals of the Paris Agreement.

Developing ammonia-based solutions will increase demand on both sides of this equation. More research is required in order to understand the best options (fuel or energy carrier) for individual industrial applications. This includes assessments on the economics, potential NOx emissions from ammonia as a fuel, safety and acceptance issues and the infrastructure investments required.

 

Photo credit: Chris Pagan from Unsplash
Published: 13 October, 2021

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Methanol

World Fuel and partners complete first green methanol bunkering of car carrier in Shanghai

Operation involved the delivery of approximately 2,800 MT of green methanol to “Arctic Tern” via a ship-to-ship transfer using SIPG Energy’s dedicated methanol bunkering vessel “M/V Hai Gang Zhi Yuan”.
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July 22, 2026

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World Fuel and partners complete first green methanol bunkering of car carrier in Shanghai

Marine fuel provider World Fuel on Tuesday (21 July) said it successfully completed the first green methanol bunkering of M/V Arctic Tern, with EUKOR Car Carriers and SIPG Energy at the Port of Shanghai. 

Arctic Tern is the first vessel in the new Shaper Class series of car carriers. 

The operation involved the delivery of approximately 2,800 MT of green methanol to Arctic Tern via a ship-to-ship transfer using SIPG Energy’s dedicated methanol bunkering vessel M/V Hai Gang Zhi Yuan, the largest vessel of its kind in operation. 

The bunkering operation was carried out at Haitong Terminal, Waigaoqiao Port Area, Shanghai Port, with cargo handling operations conducted simultaneously during bunkering.

This marks EUKOR Car Carriers’ first green methanol operation and the first time Arctic Tern has bunkered methanol since its delivery on 9 July. The operation marked the first bunkering at Shanghai Port of green methanol produced locally in Shanghai for an international PCTC operator. 

It also demonstrated the city’s integrated green methanol value chain, spanning local production, storage and bunkering, and established a replicable “Shanghai Model” for green methanol supply.

World Fuel arranged the supply and delivery of the fuel on behalf of EUKOR Car Carriers, working with SIPG Energy as the physical supplier at the Port of Shanghai.

The green methanol supplied was produced from municipal solid waste, ISCC-EU certified, and had a carbon intensity value below 25 gCO₂e/MJ.

Arctic Tern is the first of fourteen Shaper Class vessels ordered by Wallenius Wilhelmsen. With a capacity of 9,300 car equivalent units and methanol dual-fuel capability, the vessel will be operated by EUKOR Car Carriers, jointly owned by Wallenius Wilhelmsen and Hyundai Motor Group. Following her first green methanol bunkering, Arctic Tern will continue her maiden voyage from Asia to Europe.

Xavier Leroi, COO Shipping Services at Wallenius Wilhelmsen and CEO of EUKOR Car Carriers, said: “Completing Arctic Tern’s first green methanol bunkering shortly after delivery is a significant milestone towards our decarbonisation ambition for both EUKOR Car Carriers and Wallenius Wilhelmsen. It demonstrates how investments in next-generation vessel technology and fuel flexibility are being translated into real-world operations. 

“This achievement reflects the strong collaboration between all parties involved. Together, we have shown how partnerships across the maritime value chain can help make lower-emission fuels available and operationally viable at scale.”

Mark Tamsitt, SVP Global Marine Sales at World Fuel, said, “The first bunkering event with a new fuel is a significant moment for any shipowner, and our role is to make it as seamless as possible. By connecting EUKOR Car Carriers with SIPG Energy’s proven green methanol capability at the Port of Shanghai, we were able to deliver on reliable supply, fuel quality, and safe processes. As more of our customers bring methanol dual-fuel tonnage into service, we are committed to being the partner that makes these kinds of operations routine.”

Mr. Zhang Da, General Manager of SIPG Energy, said, “Welcoming Arctic Tern to the Port of Shanghai for her first green methanol bunkering demonstrates the strength and maturity of our supply capability. Building on our well-established methanol ship-to-ship bunkering services for container vessels, we have already extended such services to pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs). This bunkering sets a new record for the largest single SIMOPs green methanol bunkering for PCTCs in China, marking another step in building Shanghai’s position as a global green energy hub for international shipping.”

This operation follows Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s announcement on 9 July that Arctic Tern would complete her first methanol bunkering shortly after delivery. The vessel entered service on routes between Asia and Europe immediately following handover from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Nanjing.

 

Photo credit: World Fuel
Published: 22 July, 2026

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Ammonia

HPA and MB Energy develop safety concept for STS ammonia bunkering

HPA says the Port of Hamburg will become “bunker ready” for ammonia, laying the groundwork for safe and reliable ammonia bunkering in the future.
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July 22, 2026

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HPA and MB Energy develop safety concept for STS ammonia bunkering

The Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) and integrated energy company MB Energy on Tuesday (21 July) said they have completed a comprehensive risk analysis and developed a dedicated safety concept for ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering.

MB Energy said the analysis lays the groundwork for the safe introduction of ammonia as a future marine fuel.

“With our planned ammonia import terminal in Hamburg-Blumensand, MB Energy intends to provide the reliable land side supply infrastructure needed to support this transition across northern German ports,” it said in a social media post. 

Mabanaft Group was renamed to MB Energy last year and merged over 50 existing brands under one identity. 

Separately, HPA said the Port of Hamburg will become “bunker ready” for ammonia, laying the groundwork for safe and reliable ammonia bunkering in the future.

“The focus is in particular on container ships, cruise ships as well as RoRo and ConRo (Container/RoRo) ships,” it said. 

“We expect ammonia to establish itself as an alternative marine marine fuel in the coming years. With our preparatory work, we are already creating the conditions to welcome the first ammonia-powered ships in Hamburg and to bunker them safely.:

HPA added that the import terminal for ammonia planned by MB Energy from 2029 will make a decisive contribution to ensuring the reliable availability of ammonia as a bunker fuel in northern German ports in the long term. 

“The use of an ammonia bunker barge is considered a possible addition to the landside infrastructure to enable ship bunkering in the port and beyond in the future,” it said.

Related: Mabanaft Group renames as MB Energy, merging over 50 brands under one identity

 

Photo credit: Hamburg Port Authority
Published: 22 July, 2026

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LNG Bunkering

PIL’s LNG dual-fuel boxship “Kota Elok” arrives in Singapore on maiden call

As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on LNG and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

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July 21, 2026

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PIL's LNG dual-fuel boxship “Kota Elok” arrives in Singapore on maiden call

Singapore-based Pacific International Lines Pte Ltd on Monday (20 July) said its first 13,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel container vessel, Kota Elok, recently made her maiden call to Singapore on 15 July.

As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. 

The vessel also incorporated energy-saving features and digital technologies to reduce fuel consumption and enhance operational performance, as well as a bow windshield to improve aerodynamics, contributing to improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions over the course of long-haul voyages.

“Following Singapore, Kota Elok will continue her voyage on our East Coast Service 1 (ES1) route to South America, calling at ports in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina before returning to Asia,” the company said in a social media post. 

Kota Elok also became PIL’s first vessel to receive Lloyd’s Register certification for compliance with the IACS UR E26 and UR E27 cyber security requirements.

Developed by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), UR E26 and UR E27 are mandatory cyber resilience requirements for newbuild vessels contracted from 1 July 2024. 

 

Photo credit: Pacific International Lines
Published: 21 July, 2026

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