MOL and ITOCHU team up on Singapore ammonia bunkering demonstrations

Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) on Wednesday (19 August) announced that it has concluded a joint development agreement (JDA) with ITOCHU Corporation (ITOCHU) for ammonia bunkering demonstrations.

MOL and ITOCHU will collaborate on joint development initiatives with the aim to carry out the demonstration of ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering in Singapore by utilising their ammonia bunkering vessel and ammonia dual-fuel Capesize bulkers. 

Through the demonstrations which is planned to be carried out in the second half of 2027, MOL and ITOCHU aim to promote the early implementation of ammonia bunkering vessels and ammonia-fueled vessels.

MOL will jointly own three ammonia dual-fuel Capesize bulkers with Belgium-based CMB.TECH NV, which are scheduled to be delivered by China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. between 2026 and 2027. These vessels will be the world’s first ammonia dual-fuel Capesize bulkers, and chartered by MOL.

ITOCHU ordered the world’s first newbuilding 5,000 m3 ammonia bunkering vessel in June 2025. The vessel will be built by Sasaki Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. in Japan, which is to be flagged under the Singapore Registry and is scheduled to be delivered in 2027. 

Through conducting ammonia bunkering demonstrations, it aims to establish safe offshore bunkering operation of ammonia as marine fuel. Furthermore, ITOCHU aims to commercialize ammonia bunkering business at key maritime traffic locations in Singapore and other countries worldwide.

ITOCHU also entered a Joint Development Agreement with L&T Energy GreenTech Ltd (LTEG), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro (L&T), to develop and commercialise a 300 KTPA green ammonia project at Kandla in Gujarat.

Under the agreement, LTEG and ITOCHU will collaborate on the development of the green ammonia facility, with ITOCHU planning to offtake the product for bunkering applications in Singapore. 

Related: ITOCHU and L&T to develop green ammonia facility for Singapore bunkering operationsRelated: ITOCHU orders world’s first ammonia bunkering vessel for Singapore demonstration project

Photo credit: Scott Graham
Published: 20 August, 2025