Ammonia

MMMCZCS: MAGPIE Project confirms operational feasibility of ammonia bunkering

MAGPIE consortium completed a successful ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering simulation in Rotterdam on 12 April, proving that ammonia can be bunkered safely within an operating port.

Published

2 months ago

May 22, 2026

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MMMCZCS: MAGPIE Project confirms operational feasibility of ammonia bunkering

The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS) on Thursday (21 May) said a new demonstration project in the Port of Rotterdam showed that ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering can be carried out safely within an active port environment.

The demonstration is part of the EU-funded MAGPIE (sMArt Green Ports as Integrated Efficient multimodal hubs) project, and the report is now available, providing concrete learnings that industry can use to guide future ammonia bunkering and accelerate global port permitting.

The shipping sector must transition away from fossil fuels to meet climate targets. Ammonia is considered a promising alternative fuel, but its specific hazards pose significant safety, operational, and regulatory challenges. Without competent operators, fit-for-purpose equipment and robust safety and regulatory frameworks, ammonia bunkering cannot take place safely in ports.

Within the MAGPIE project, a full-scale simulation of a ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering operation was conducted in the Port of Rotterdam on 12 April 2025. The demonstration showed that ammonia bunkering within port limits is operationally feasible when carefully planned and executed within a robust safety and regulatory framework.

The learnings from the demonstration have now been consolidated by the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping and project partners in a comprehensive ammonia bunkering demonstration report. This publication provides the industry with practical lessons and a validated port safety framework and tools that other ports can use as a blueprint for ammonia bunkering.

A key outcome of the project is the validation of the Port of Rotterdam’s port safety framework for ammonia as a fuel, as well as the International Association of Ports and Harbours’ (IAPH) Port Readiness Tool. The results demonstrate that these frameworks are fit-for-purpose instruments for ports considering the introduction of new alternative fuels.

“The project delivers practical learnings, validation sheets and recommendations that can be used by ports globally to build confidence in ammonia bunkering and to inform future port permitting and regulatory processes. The results support the EU’s ambition for green ports and the safe deployment of alternative fuels in the maritime sector,” said Bo Cerup-Simonsen, CEO, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.

“The energy transition requires new, integrated value chains. This ammonia bunker pilot is an important step in developing a complete value chain for alternative fuels, from import to application in shipping. Together with our partners, we demonstrate that innovation, safety, and scalability can go hand in hand. Rotterdam plays a connecting role as an energy and logistics hub for Northwest Europe,” said Boudewijn Siemons, CEO, Port of Rotterdam.

The learnings from MAGPIE contribute to a broader effort to accelerate sustainable, smart and multimodal port systems and results will be shared with the wider industry to support the global transition of the shipping sector.

Note: The report titled ‘Ammonia Bunkering Demonstration Report’ can be found here.

Photo credit: Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping
Published: 22 May, 2026

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Ammonia

Peninsula and ITOCHU establish ammonia bunkering joint venture for European ports

I&P Marine Ammonia has been created to promote the supply of ammonia as a next-generation zero carbon bunker fuel, with an initial focus on major strategic European and Mediterranean hubs.

Published

2 days ago

July 9, 2026

Admin

Peninsula and ITOCHU establish ammonia bunkering joint venture for European ports

Global marine energy supplier Peninsula on Wednesday (8 July) announced the establishment of I&P Marine Ammonia Ltd. (IPMA), a joint venture with ITOCHU Corporation, to accelerate the development of ammonia marine fuel bunkering across key European ports.

IPMA has been created to promote the supply of ammonia as a next-generation zero carbon marine fuel, with an initial focus on major strategic European and Mediterranean hubs. These locations represent critical regions in global maritime logistics and will play a central role in enabling the adoption of alternative fuels at scale.

The formation of IPMA builds directly on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Peninsula and ITOCHU in September 2023, which established a framework for the joint development of ammonia bunkering infrastructure and supply chains.

Manifold Times previously reported the European Commission (EC) approving the creation of a joint venture by ITOCHU and Peninsula under the EU Merger Regulation.

“Ammonia is widely seen as the most reasonable option among zero‑carbon marine fuel alternatives, supporting the shipping industry’s transition in line with increasingly stringent regulatory and environmental requirements,” Peninsula said.

“The creation of IPMA marks a significant step towards the commercialisation of ammonia as a marine fuel.”

Peninsula has been advancing the alternative fuels landscape, with established capabilities across LNG, Bio LNG, biofuels and other alternative solutions such as methanol and ammonia. This joint venture represents a natural progression of the company’s strategy to provide customers with practical, scalable decarbonisation pathways.

The partnership combines Peninsula’s global bunkering expertise, an established global supply network and deep customer relationships covering over 500 ports across all major bunkering hubs with ITOCHU’s integrated approach, spanning fuel production and supply chain development.

“Together, Itochu and Peninsula will combine these strengths to develop a robust ammonia bunkering framework, pairing upstream supply and infrastructure with the customer-facing expertise required to deliver ammonia as bunker fuel reliably at scale,” the company added.

With an initial focus on Europe, IPMA is well positioned to accelerate the emergence of an operational ammonia marine fuel supply chain, complementing and reinforcing the broader industry initiatives already underway across the region.

Photo credit: Peninsula
Published: 9 July, 2026

Ammonia

Grimaldi Group unveils ammonia-ready PCTC in Türkiye

Named after Türkiye’s largest city and economic capital, the “Grande Istanbul” is one of the 17 latest-generation, ammonia-ready PCTCs commissioned by the Grimaldi Group.

Published

4 days ago

July 7, 2026

Admin

Grimaldi Group unveils ammonia-ready PCTC in Türkiye

Grimaldi Group recently presented the Grande Istanbul, one of its latest-generation, ammonia-ready Pure Car & Truck Carriers (PCTCs), during a ceremony held at Autoport in Kocaeli, Türkiye.

Named after Türkiye’s largest city and economic capital, the Grande Istanbul is one of the 17 latest-generation, ammonia-ready PCTCs commissioned by the Grimaldi Group.

The vessel offers a capacity of up to 9,241 CEUs while reducing CO₂ emissions per unit of cargo by up to 50% compared with previous-generation car carriers.

“The ceremony reaffirmed the Group’s long-term commitment to Türkiye, where it has been operating for almost five decades,” the company said in a social media post.

“Today, around 20 state-of-the-art ro-ro vessels and PCTCs connect Turkish ports with a global network of more than 150 ports in over 60 countries, supporting the country’s automotive industry and international trade.”

The Grande Istanbul is currently deployed on the Grimaldi Group’s EuroMed Service, linking several ports in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, including Autoport, Borusan, Derince, Gemlik, Haydarpaşa and İzmir in Türkiye.

Photo credit: Grimaldi Group
Published: 7 July, 2026

Alternative Fuels

Singapore-based ONE celebrates maiden voyage of methanol-and-ammonia ready boxship

Following the successful deployment of “ONE Singapore” and its sister vessels, “ONE Solidarity” will be deployed on the Mediterranean Pacific South 2 (MS2) service.

Published

1 week ago

July 3, 2026

Admin

Singapore-based ONE celebrates maiden voyage of methanol-and-ammonia ready boxship

Singapore-based container shipping company Ocean Network Express (ONE) on Thursday (3 July) said it celebrated the maiden voyage of containership ONE Solidarity as the ship made its first-ever arrival in Shekou, China.

“As one of our S-series methanol and ammonia ready container vessels, ONE Solidarity is another demonstration of ONE’s commitment to sustainable shipping,” the company said in a social media post.

Following the successful deployment of ONE Singapore and its sister vessels, ONE Solidarity will be deployed on the Mediterranean Pacific South 2 (MS2) service.

“Her deployment will boost our service capacity, ensuring faster, more reliable, and highly efficient shipping offerings across key global trade lanes,” the company added.

Photo credit: Ocean Network Express
Published: 3 July, 2026