Alternative Fuels

Höegh Autoliners partners with North Ammonia for green ammonia bunker supply

Green ammonia is meant for Höegh Autoliners’ ammonia-ready dual-fuel Aurora class vessels – the world’s largest and most environmentally friendly PCTCs ever built.

Published

2 years ago

May 17, 2023

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Höegh Autoliners and Norwegian green energy provider North Ammonia on Thursday (11 May) announced a partnership for the supply of green ammonia as bunker fuel for the shipping firm’s ammonia-ready fleet.

The green ammonia is meant for Höegh Autoliners’ ammonia-ready dual-fuel Aurora class vessels – the world’s largest and most environmentally friendly Pure Car, Truck Carriers ever built. As part of Höegh Autoliners’ ambitious newbuilding programme, it ordered eight Auroras – expecting the delivery of two every six months starting from the second half of 2024.

The firms said the partnership covers the distribution, delivery, and consumption of green ammonia.

The partnership will enable Höegh Autoliners to meet its commitment to powering at least 5% of its deep-sea operation with green ammonia by 2030 (part of our First Movers Coalition pledge) and its aim of consuming at least 100 000 metric tons of green ammonia within our fleet by that same year.

Designed to carry up to 9,100 cars, the Auroras are designed for future cargo as the vessels’ strengthened decks and enhanced internal ramp systems enable electric vehicles on all decks and provide more flexibility for heavier project cargo.

“Securing the supply and delivery of green ammonia from North Ammonia’s planned production facility in Arendal in southern Norway will help us source green ammonia safely, efficiently, and cost-competitively as a first mover and industry frontrunner sailing for sustainability in the maritime sector,” Höegh Autoliners said.

Höegh Autoliners’ CEO, Andreas Enger, said: “We are proud to partner with an ambitious Norwegian green ammonia supplier to transition towards a more sustainable future. This collaboration will not only reduce our environmental impact and carbon footprint.”

“It will also set a new standard for the industry as a whole and assist our partners and customers in decarbonizing their supply chain. We are receiving positive feedback and strong signals from major car manufacturers in Europe about enabling lower-emission transport of cars from the manufacturing site to the customers. We are excited to be at the forefront of the movement towards a greener, more sustainable future for all.”

Höegh Autoliners added it is investing heavily in future technology, low emission fuels and newbuilds to further strengthen our service offering and meet our ambitious environmental targets and those of our customers.

COO of Höegh Autoliners, Sebjørn Dahl, said: “The fact that green ammonia is becoming a totally viable maritime fuel is a game-changer for our industry. We believe it will set the standard for others to follow. I thought this development would be achievable in 10 years’ time.”

“But technology is moving faster than expected and the future is here. This partnership will ensure that we and our Norwegian industry suppliers will be well-positioned for seizing that very future. With this partnership, we are adding yet another stepping stone in designing the infrastructure of the future – with a green and sustainable focus.”

North Ammonia was established by Grieg Maritime Group and Arendals Fossekompani in 2021 to enable change in the maritime sector. The aim is to make green ammonia available at large scale and become Norway’s number one green energy provider for the maritime sector.

CEO of North Ammonia, Vidar Lundberg, said: “We are proud to support Höegh Autoliners’ ambitious sustainability initiative. In the maritime energy transition, we are dependent on first movers such as Höegh and this partnership demonstrates the growing demand for green ammonia in deep-sea shipping. As an infrastructure developer, we hope that this collaboration will inspire other companies in the industry to develop and order environmentally friendly vessels.”

Photo credit: Höegh Autoliners
Published: 18 May, 2023

Methanol

Chimbusco completes bunkering op of China’s first 16,000K TEU methanol DF boxship

“COSCO SHIPPING YANGPU” was supplied approximately 900 metric tonnes of methanol marine fuel by Chimbusco in Shanghai on 11 May.

Published

11 hours ago

May 23, 2025

Admin

Chimbusco completes bunkering of China’s first 16,000K TEU methanol DF boxship

China Marine Bunker (PetroChina) Co Ltd (Chimbusco) completed a bunkering operation of the first domestically manufactured methanol dual-fuel container ship in Shanghai on 11 May, according to COSCO Shipping on Thursday (15 May).

COSCO SHIPPING YANGPU was supplied approximately 900 metric tonnes (mt) of methanol marine fuel by Chimbusco at Pier 1 of COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry.

The operation started on 7 May but was postponed due to unfavourable weather from the Jianghuai Cyclone.

Chimbusco completes bunkering of China’s first 16,000K TEU methanol DF boxship

COSCO Shipping said the operation marked an important achievement in green and low-carbon transformation in shipping, from ship construction and ecological layout of the entire green fuel industry chain of the company.

Manifold Times previously reported the naming ceremony of China’s first 16,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel container ship, COSCO SHIPPING YANGPU in Yangzhou.

The methanol dual-fuel container ship named was the first in a series of vessels from COSCO Shipping Holdings, constructed by COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry Yangzhou.

Photo credit: Cosco Shipping
Published: 23 May, 2025

LNG Bunkering

Shell wraps up its first LNG bunkering operation for TUI Cruises in Barcelona

Milestone was achieved by Shell’s LNG bunker barge “Haugesund Knutsen” supplying the “Mein Schiff Relax” cruise ship at Port of Barcelona, says Dexter Belmar of Shell.

Published

12 hours ago

May 23, 2025

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Shell wraps up its first LNG bunkering operation for TUI Cruises in Barcelona

Energy giant Shell recently conducted its first LNG bunkering operation for TUI Cruises in Barcelona, according to Dexter Belmar, General Manager and Head of Global Downstream LNG on Thursday (22 May).

He said the milestone was achieved by Shell’s LNG bunker barge Haugesund Knutsen supplying the Mein Schiff Relax cruise ship.

“Barcelona, one of Europe and the Mediterranean’s leading cruise ports, is also a key LNG bunkering location for Shell as we help more cruise ships transition to lower-emission fuels,” he said in a social media post.

“A huge thank you to Royal Caribbean Group for their trust, and to Knutsen and Port of Barcelona for their collaboration in making this bunkering safe and efficient.”

Shell wraps up its first LNG bunkering operation for TUI Cruises in Barcelona

Belmar said LNG is leading the way as the preferred alternative bunker fuel in the cruise industry.

“At Shell, we’re proud to support LNG fuelling needs at 26 locations worldwide, including major cruise ports like Bahamas, Barcelona, Canaveral, Everglades, Jamaica, Miami, Singapore, Southampton, and Tenerife,” he added.

Photo credit: Shell
Published: 23 May, 2025

LNG Bunkering

IGU report: Global LNG bunkering fleet grows to 56 operational vessels by 2024

LNG bunkering fleet is concentrated in Europe with the highest capacity of operational bunkering vessels, followed by Asia/Asia Pacific and North America, according to 2025 World LNG report by IGU.

Published

12 hours ago

May 23, 2025

Admin

IGU report: Global LNG bunkering fleet grows to 56 operational vessels by 2024

The global operational LNG bunkering and bunkering-capable small-scale vessel fleet reached 56 units at the end of December 2024 with further support from expanding infrastructure and regulatory drivers such as the IMO’s ban of heavy fuel oil in Arctic shipping and the EU’s FuelEU Maritime regulation.

This was nine more vessels than in 2023, with a total added capacity of 82,900 cubic metres (m3).

This was one of the major highlights in the 2025 World LNG report by the International Gas Union (ICU), which was launched at the 29th World Gas Conference (WGC2025) in Beijing on Thursday (22 May).

IGU report: Global LNG bunkering fleet grows to 56 operational vessels by 2024

The LNG bunkering fleet is concentrated in Europe with the highest capacity of operational bunkering vessels. This is followed by Asia/Asia Pacific and then North America, both of which have seen rapid expansions in the past five years.

As of the end of 2024, Europe has the highest bunkering capacity, with a total of 190,757 cm across 25 vessels currently in operation within the region.

Asia/Asia Pacific has the second-highest bunkering capacity, with a total of 179,700 m3 across 17 vessels in operation. From that, China currently has five operational LNG bunkering vessels while South Korea currently provides STS bunkering services with four bunkering vessels. Singapore currently has three bunkering vessels in operation.

North America continued its progress toward becoming a significant region in the LNG bunkering market in 2024, reaching a total capacity of 86,400 m3 across 10 operational vessels by year-end.

The report noted: “2024 was a significant year for LNG bunkering. Bunker users were quick to capture the reductions in both fuel costs and carbon emissions from using LNG, taking advantage of lower LNG prices relative to other marine fuels in 2024. Lower prices and an emerging LNG-fuelled fleet were catalysts in the large uptake in LNG bunker volumes.”

The Port of Singapore, which is the largest bunkering port in the world, recorded 463,900 tonnes of LNG bunkered in 2024, almost four times the 110,900 tonnes in 2023. The Port of Rotterdam, the second-largest bunkering port in the world, also recorded a 52% increase in bunkered LNG, from 620,000 cm in 2023 to 941,366 cm in 2024.”

IGU also said the newcomer in STS LNG bunkering is the Middle East with the LNG bunkering vessel Green Zeebrugge.

“The ship moved at the end of 2024 to Dubai and has performed the first ever LNG bunkering in the Middle East. This area is identified as a potential new LNG bunkering hub with Oman, the UAE, and Qatar as the main bunkering locations.”

Note: The ‘2025 World LNG Report’ can be downloaded here.

Photo credit: International Gas Union
Published: 23 May, 2025