Fortescue and partners complete digital fuel certificate pilot for ammonia bunkering

International non-profit foundation Green Hydrogen Organisation (GH2) on Tuesday (24 June) said it has successfully completed the issuance of the world’s first digital fuel certificate for an ammonia-to-ship transfer, in collaboration with Trovio and Fortescue. 

The transaction involved the Fortescue Green Pioneer, the first ocean-going dual-fuelled ammonia powered vessel, during a recent fuel transfer operation at the Port of Rotterdam.

The certificate—issued via Trovio’s CorTenX registry platform—marks a breakthrough in the development of systems to trace and verify new marine fuels for the energy transition. Capturing immutable, granular data on the sustainability attributes of the fuel, including its origin, handling, and transfer specifics, the digital certificate provides auditable transparency and reinforces trust across the supply chain.

“This pilot proves how CorTenX can serve as the backbone for a scalable and interoperable registry system that empowers the green fuel transition,” said Jon Deane, CEO of Trovio. 

“By digitising the fuel lifecycle and enabling automated compliance, we reduce friction, increase integrity, and accelerate global adoption of zero-emission fuels.”

“Following the International Maritime Organization’s groundbreaking agreement in April on mandatory emissions limits and GHG pricing for global shipping, green fuel producers have received an important signal to supply the industry,” said Jonas Moberg, CEO of GH2. 

“It is essential that systems are put in place not only to capture the volumes but the key environmental attributes of fuels such as e-ammonia made from renewables. The recent pilot shows we are ready to record those attributes as soon as the fuels start being delivered to ships.”

“This pilot marks a key step in scaling the infrastructure required for zero-emission fuels. As the first company to complete an ammonia-to-ship fuel transfer with full digital certification, Fortescue is not only advancing the physical deployment of green fuels but also setting new benchmarks for transparency and traceability,” said Andrew Hoare, Fortescue’s Head of Green Shipping.

“Partnering with Trovio and GH2, we’ve demonstrated that digital registries like CorTenX can underpin robust, auditable verification of sustainability attributes—critical for regulatory alignment, stakeholder trust, and emissions accounting. This is about proving what’s possible and accelerating what’s necessary.”

While significant attention has been directed towards the engineering and safety protocols surrounding ammonia as a maritime fuel, the foundation said this transaction highlighted the critical role of digital infrastructure in enabling scale. 

The CorTenX platform records end-to-end supply chain data, including port and vessel details, transaction timestamp, and associated sustainability metrics put in place by regulators like the IMO, national governments or voluntary initiatives such as the Green Hydrogen Standard.

Photo credit: Fortescue
Published: 25 June, 2025