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Study: South Africa-Europe shipping route could run on green ammonia marine fuel by 2029

Ammonia-fuelled bulk carriers could feasibly be deployed on the South Africa-Europe iron ore trade route as soon as 2029 and scale toward full decarbonisation by 2035, says Global Maritime Forum.

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RESIZED Chris Pagan

Ammonia-fuelled bulk carriers could feasibly be deployed on the South Africa-Europe iron ore trade route as soon as 2029 and scale toward full decarbonisation by 2035, according to the Global Maritime Forum on Thursday (30 October). 

The feasibility study, produced in collaboration with a consortium created in 2023, said the corridor linking Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape to the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands would be one of the first Global South-to-North green shipping routes.

The consortium includes Anglo American, CMB.TECH, Freeport Saldanha, VUKA Marine, and ENGIE. 

Saldanha Bay, home to South Africa’s primary iron-ore export terminal, is already planning the development of ammonia production, alongside port upgrades to handle bunkering operations.

In the green corridor’s initial years, ammonia-fuelled vessels would likely bunker in Rotterdam, which is one of the most mature ports in terms of its ammonia bunkering and safety frameworks. Meanwhile, Saldanha Bay will have the opportunity to build the infrastructure to become the long-term green ammonia production and bunkering hub for the corridor.

By 2035, the port could supply bunkering services to all corridor vessels locally, creating a dual-purpose facility that continues mineral exports while serving international shipping.

“This phased approach gives shipowners and fuel producers a clear timeline to work toward, and we now need coordinated action from policymakers and industry to make this a reality by 2029,” said Shanon Neumann, Associate: Investment Facilitation at Freeport Saldanha. “However, to help Saldanha Bay transition quickly, blending public and private funding can unlock investment in infrastructure and reduce the risks of early projects.”

The World Bank and World Economic Forum have both previously identified South Africa as a prospective key player in fueling shipping’s decarbonisation. The green corridor could contribute towards turning this notion into a reality.

Announced green hydrogen projects near the ports of Boegoebaai, Saldanha, and Walvis Bay could meet the corridor’s fuel needs, including its high-demand scenario of 22 bulk carriers per annum by 2035. The possibility of such strong demand levels could mean a stronger business case for green hydrogen producers looking to secure enough offtake volumes to finalise investment decisions and accelerate new projects.

Add in the necessary financing, potential tax incentives, and port tariff discounts for fuel production and bunkering build-out at Freeport Saldanha, and South Africa could gain a competitive edge as an international bunker supplier. The country’s hydrogen sector may be able to contribute 3.6% to the country’s GDP by 2030, with shipping and steel well-positioned to become early offtakers of the gas and its derivatives.

This green shipping corridor offers the opportunity to strengthen South Africa’s export competitiveness, future-proof a strategic port, and support the country’s Just Energy Transition through local value chains, skills development, and community benefits.

Regional and global regulations could materially improve the business case for the corridor. Europe’s FuelEU Maritime greenhouse-gas intensity targets and Emissions Trading System levy, the latter to be fully phased in by 2026, narrow the cost gap between green ammonia and conventional fuels by more than 60% in modelled scenarios.

The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Net-Zero Framework (NZF), now set to be revisited in 2026 following the decision earlier this month to delay adoption, would further strengthen the case, with fuel standards, emissions targets, and market-based incentives that reward zero-emission fuels.

“With binding global regulations delayed for now, there remains a business case to be made for green ammonia on this corridor,” said Marieke Beckmann, Global Maritime Forum deputy director of decarbonisation. 

“The role of national and local governments becomes increasingly important in incentivising the adoption of scalable zero emission fuels. This, combined with EU measures, will help position South Africa as a competitive supplier of clean maritime fuel.”

The Global Maritime Forum study provides a roadmap to making the corridor operational by 2029, including:

  • Creating an enabling contracting environment to optimally and fairly allocate risks and rewards across the value chain.
  • Engaging with South African government bodies and industry stakeholders to raise awareness of the corridor opportunity and the need for an enabling policy environment, and build momentum around it.
  • Mobilising funding and incentives for corridor infrastructure that will contribute to Saldanha’s hydrogen hub and port development.

If implemented, the South Africa–Europe Iron Ore Green Corridor could become a model for an equitable, commercially viable zero-emission shipping corridor and a catalyst for South Africa’s hydrogen economy to unlock large-scale investment.

Note: The ‘Assessing the feasibility of the South Africa-Europe iron ore green shipping corridor’ study can be downloaded here. 

 

Photo credit: Chris Pagan on Unsplash
Published: 3 November, 2025

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Alternative Fuels

Yang Ming orders six LNG dual-fuel, ammonia-ready containerships from Hanwha Ocean

Each of the six new vessels will have a capacity of up to 13,650 TEU and feature LNG dual-fuel propulsion and Ammonia Fuel Ready specifications.
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September 4, 2026

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Yang Ming orders six LNG dual-fuel, ammonia-ready containerships from Hanwha Ocean

Taiwanese shipping firm Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation (Yang Ming) and South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean on Wednesday (2 September) signed a shipbuilding contract for six 13,000 TEU class LNG dual-fuel container vessels. 

The contract was signed by Dr. Chuck Tsai, Chairman of Yang Ming, and Mr. Charles Kim, CEO of Hanwha Ocean. The vessels are scheduled for delivery between 2028 and 2029. 

They will complement Yang Ming’s existing fleet of 10,000+ TEU vessels and serve as key vessels on East-West services, with deployment flexibility across trade lanes connecting Asia with the East and West Coasts of North America, South America, and the Mediterranean. 

Each of the six new vessels will have a capacity of up to 13,650 TEU and feature LNG dual-fuel propulsion and Ammonia Fuel Ready specifications.

“As Yang Ming transitions toward net-zero emissions, LNG provides a relatively mature and economically viable alternative fuel solution, capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 20%,” the company said. 

“At the same time, ammonia can serve as a carbon-free fuel by utilising converted LNG storage facilities, while offering relatively lower conversion costs and comparatively well-developed supply chains and infrastructure. The Ammonia Fuel Ready design will therefore provide Yang Ming with greater flexibility in responding to increasingly stringent international regulations on greenhouse gas emissions.”

In addition, the vessels will be equipped with Type B LNG fuel tanks with a design pressure of 1.0 bar to enhance the safety and efficiency of LNG operations, together with a range of energy-saving technologies, including Wind Shields, Rudder Bulbs, Pre-Swirl Stators, and Shore Power Systems. Smart ship technologies and cybersecurity protection features will also be incorporated to enhance operational efficiency, safety, and reliability while effectively reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Deliveries under Yang Ming’s next-generation fleet optimization plan commenced earlier this year. By 2030, a total of 24 new vessels are expected to enter service. 

This includes 18 LNG dual-fuel vessels—comprising five 15,500 TEU, seven 16,000 TEU, and the six 13,000 TEU vessels under this contract—alongside six 8,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel-ready ships. 

 

Photo credit: Yang Ming Marine Transport
Published: 4 September, 2026

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Alternative Fuels

LR, China’s MARIC unveil tanker concept ready for three future bunker fuels

Both secured AiP for a new 114,000 DWT product and crude oil tanker designed to accommodate future conversion to LNG, methanol or ammonia.
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September 4, 2026

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LR, China’s MARIC unveil tanker concept ready for three future bunker fuels

Lloyd’s Register (LR) and the Marine Design and Research Institute of China (MARIC) on Thursday (3 September) have secured Approval in Principle (AiP) for a new 114,000 DWT product and crude oil tanker designed to accommodate future conversion to LNG, methanol or ammonia.

Announced at SMM 2026, the concept addresses one of the biggest investment challenges facing shipping today: the need to develop vessels and capabilities that can support a range of alternative fuel options and pathways as technologies, infrastructure and regulations evolve.

While LNG is already a mature fuel pathway, methanol and ammonia remain at an earlier stage of development, with questions around global fuel availability, infrastructure development, economics and long-term adoption.

The 114,000 DWT tanker concept has been designed as a product and crude oil carrier that can accommodate future conversion to LNG, methanol or ammonia as technologies, regulations and fuel supply chains mature. By incorporating conversion readiness at the design stage, the concept aims to reduce future retrofit complexity and provide owners with greater confidence when planning long-term fleet investments.

The design concept was reviewed against LR’s July 2026 class rules and regulations, including requirements relating to ships using gases and other low-flashpoint fuels, alongside relevant IACS Common Structural Rules for oil tankers. Final classification and statutory approval remain subject to full compliance with all applicable rules and regulations.

Theo Kourmpelis, Global Business Director for Tankers, Lloyd’s Register, said: “Shipowners are being asked to make major investment decisions today despite continued uncertainty around which fuels will dominate in the decades ahead. Alternative fuel solutions each offer potential pathways to compliance, but fuel infrastructure, regulation and economics continue to evolve at different speeds around the world.

“Designs that preserve flexibility will be critical in helping owners manage risk while preparing for multiple future scenarios.”

Si Nan, Marine & Offshore Marketing Department Vice Director, MARIC, said: “As the industry explores different decarbonisation pathways, shipowners need vessel designs that can adapt alongside technological and regulatory developments. This concept was developed specifically to provide greater fuel flexibility and long-term resilience, allowing owners to respond to changing market requirements without being locked into a single fuel strategy.

“Receiving Approval in Principle from Lloyd’s Register is an important milestone that validates the design concept and supports its future development.”

 

Photo credit: Lloyd’s Register
Published: 4 September, 2026

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Ammonia

Mitsui E&S commercialises ammonia dual-fuel engines and fuel supply systems

Company says it has established a supply framework for marine propulsion systems aimed at the practical implementation of ammonia-fuelled vessels.
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August 24, 2026

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Mitsui E&S commercialises ammonia dual-fuel engines and fuel supply systems

Mitsui E&S on Thursday (20 August) said it has completed the commercialisation of large ammonia dual-fuel marine engines and ammonia fuel supply systems (AFSS).

As the only company in Japan manufacturing both ammonia dual fuel engines and AFSS, the company said it has established a supply framework for marine propulsion systems aimed at the practical implementation of ammonia-fuelled vessels.

“While ammonia holds promise as a next-generation fuel that emits no carbon dioxide during combustion, it is difficult to ignite and poses risks related to toxicity and corrosiveness; therefore, ensuring safety, reliability, and environmental performance is crucial for its practical implementation in society,” it said. 

In February, Mitsui E&S conducted land-based tests involving the integrated operation of the Ammonia dual fuel engine MITSUI-Everllence B&W 7S60ME-C10.5-LGIA-HPSCR and the AFSS, witnessed by ClassNK (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai), and verified their performance. 

Following the completion of the tests and the subsequent review, Mitsui E&S confirmed the completion of onshore testing in accordance with classification society rules and verified compliance with International Maritime Organization (IMO) NOx regulations through NOx certification. 

“Consequently, we have finalised the commercialisation of the ammonia dual fuel engines and the AFSS and are now able to supply it for actual vessels,” it added. 

Mitsui E&S said it has already decided to expand its land-based testing facilities for AFSS compatible with both Everllence and WinGD licensed engines. 

“In conjunction with this, we will establish a mass-production system for both the engines and the AFSS to meet the anticipated rise in demand,” it said. 

Mitsui E&S added the company is expanding its engine lineup to accommodate a diverse range of next-generation marine fuels, including ammonia, by offering ammonia-fuelled engines and AFSS as an integrated package.

 

Photo credit: Mitsui E&S
Published: 24 August, 2026

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