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Alternative Fuels

Yara, Statkraft and Aker Horizons mega project mulls green ammonia production as bunker fuel

Ammonia is the ‘most promising’ hydrogen carrier and zero-carbon shipping fuel as it does not need to be refrigerated and has a higher energy density than liquid hydrogen.
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Yara International, Statkraft, and Aker Horizons on 18 February (Thursday) signed a Letter of Intent aiming to establish Europe’s first large-scale green ammonia project in Norway by electrify and decarbonising Yara’s ammonia plant in Porsgrunn.

The partners will target green hydrogen and green ammonia opportunities within shipping, agriculture and industrial applications, by electrifying Yara’s existing ammonia facility in Porsgrunn.

“This is not just a unique decarbonisation project, but a strategic investment that can establish new value chains for green hydrogen and green ammonia,” says Svein Tore Holsether, President and CEO of Yara.

“Yara is a world leader in ammonia, with long experience and leading position within global ammonia production, logistics and trade.

“With Statkraft and Aker Horizons onboard we gain key expertise within renewable electricity, power markets, industrial development and project execution, giving us a unique opportunity to realize the project.”

The conversion of Yara’s existing ammonia plant has the potential to become one of the largest climate initiatives in Norway’s industrial history, targeting annual CO2 reductions equivalent to the emissions from more than 300,000 fossil fuel passenger cars.

Provided that power is available at the site and the required public co-funding is in place, the project could be realized within 5-7 years.

In addition to the Porsgrunn project, the three companies plan to explore the potential for green ammonia production in Northern Norway as a future opportunity.

“Statkraft is Europe’s largest producer of renewable energy. Norway’s rich renewable energy resources are one of our most important competitive advantages,” says Statkraft CEO Christian Rynning-Tønnesen.

“This project paves the way for new industrial development and can at the same time give Norway’s important maritime sector a new competitive advantage, namely access to an efficient and emission-free energy source on a large scale.”

Shipping currently accounts for 2% of global GHG emissions, of which long-distance shipping represents 80%.

Converting all long-distance shipping to ammonia would require approximately 500-600 million tonnes of ammonia annually, 3-4 times the current world production. The Norwegian shipping industry has a stated ambition to reduce emissions from domestic shipping by 50% by 2030, which will require significant green hydrogen production.

“It is currently more expensive to produce green hydrogen based on renewable electricity and electrolysis than through natural gas, but large-scale production will reduce cost of the electrolysis route,” says Holsether.

“For hydrogen to be exported or used in long-haul shipping or fertilizer production, it needs to be converted to ammonia, and converting Yara’s existing ammonia plant is both faster and more cost-effective than building a new plant. However, realizing this innovative project will require good incentive frameworks and support from the authorities.”

Ammonia’s chemical properties make it ideally suited for the hydrogen economy. It does not need to be refrigerated to the same temperatures as hydrogen, and has a higher energy density than liquid hydrogen, making it more efficient to transport and store. Ammonia is therefore the most promising hydrogen carrier and zero-carbon shipping fuel.


Photo credit: Yara
Published: 19 February, 2021

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Alternative Fuels

MOL inks bio-LNG bunker fuel supply deals with Titan and Axpo for car carriers in Europe

Titan, part of Amsterdam-based Molgas, will continue to supply bio-LNG fuel in Northwest Europe, while Axpo will take charge of supply in the Mediterranean region.
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MOL inks bio-LNG bunker fuel supply deals with Titan and Axpo for car carriers in Europe

Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) on Thursday (18 July) said it has signed new supply agreements in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean region to expand the use of bio-LNG marine fuel on MOL-operated LNG-fuelled car carriers.

Titan, part of Amsterdam-based Molgas, will continue to supply bio-LNG fuel in Northwest Europe, while Axpo will take charge of supply in the Mediterranean region.

MOL said the agreement makes it possible for its company to supply bio-LNG fuel for automobile carriers in the Mediterranean region, specifically Port of Malaga and Barcelona in Spain, following the bio-LNG fuel supply agreement in Western Europe, which commenced in March last year.

The bio-LNG fuel to be supplied in this initiative has a lifecycle carbon intensity (carbon dioxide emissions per unit of energy consumption) of -15 g-CO2/MJ or less, from production through consumption. Furthermore, this bio-LNG fuel has obtained International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC-EU). 

“Through this supply agreement, MOL has established a framework that ensures a continuous and stable supply of bio-LNG fuel not only in Northern Europe but also in the Mediterranean,” the company said.

As part of the group’s efforts to adopt alternative fuels and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it is utilising LNG-fuelled vessels as a bridge solution to facilitate the transition to carbon-neutral fuels such as bio-LNG and synthetic LNG (e-methane).

In 2025, MOL signed a bio LNG fuel supply agreement in Northwest Europe with Titan, part of the Molgas, and MOL has continued this bio LNG fuel supply agreement with the same company in 2026 as well.

 

Photo credit: Mitsui OSK Lines
Published: 19 June, 2026

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Biofuel

Kvasir Technologies lands EUR 10 million to scale bio bunker fuel production

The Danish biofuel startup raised the fund in a Series A investment round, which will provide capital to develop and design a new commercial production plant and scale climate-neutral drop-in marine fuel.

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Kvasir Technologies lands EUR 10 million to scale bio bunker fuel production

Danish biofuel startup Kvasir Technologies on Thursday (18 June) said it has raised EUR 10 million (USD 11.4 million) in a Series A investment round with participation from European Energy as a new investor, alongside existing investors EIFO, Maersk Growth and Footprint Fund. 

The Series A round provides capital to develop and design a new commercial production plant and scale climate-neutral drop-in fuel to be used in existing vessels.

At the same time, European Energy and Kvasir Technologies are entering into a strategic partnership by establishing the company KVEEN Biofuels, which is working towards the construction of a commercial-scale plant to produce biofuels using Kvasir Technologies’ patented technology.

“This investment round enables us to take the next crucial steps in developing and scaling our technology. At the same time, it underlines that there is still strong support for solutions that can deliver real climate impact in the maritime sector,” said Joachim Bachmann Nielsen, Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and CEO of Kvasir Technologies.

Kvasir Technologies, a spin-out from research at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), has developed a new technology to convert a wide range of non-edible lignin- based residues from agriculture and forestry into refined biofuels for shipping.

The climate-neutral biofuel can serve as an immediate replacement for fossil marine fuel without the need to modify ship engines or change existing infrastructure.

The new funding will be used, among other things, to scale the technology at Kvasir Technologies’ test facility in Fredericia, which can produce up to 2 metric tonnes (mt) of biofuel per day.

At the same time, development work will begin on the first commercial plant in the city of Aabenraa in the southern part of Jutland, which will demonstrate the technology on an industrial scale.

 

Photo credit: Kvasir Technologies
Published: 19 June, 2026

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Engine

BeHydro secures LR’s first class approval for 100% hydrogen marine engine

Engine has been developed and tested at ABC Engines’ facility in Ghent and is designed to operate entirely on hydrogen, without the need for pilot fuels.
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BeHydro secures LR’s first class approval for 100% hydrogen marine engine

Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) on Wednesday (17 June) said it has issued the first Type Approval Certificate for a 100% hydrogen-fuelled, spark-ignited marine engine.

The approval has been awarded to the hydrogen engine developed by BeHydro and confirms the design meets LR’s requirements for safety, performance and reliability in marine applications.

The engine has been developed and tested at ABC Engines’ facility in Ghent and is designed to operate entirely on hydrogen, without the need for pilot fuels. This simplifies system design and removes onboard carbon emissions at source, positioning the technology as a practical option for operators exploring zero-carbon propulsion.

Claudene Sharp-Patel, Global Technical Director, Lloyd’s Register, said: “The issue of this Type Approval Certificate demonstrates that hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion engine technology is continuing to mature as a viable option for maritime applications.

“For shipowners and operators, independent certification is essential in building confidence that emerging fuel technologies can meet the industry’s expectations for safety, reliability and operational performance.”

Tim Berckmoes, CEO at ABC Engines, said: “This LRS type approval of our BeHydro 100% hydrogen engines with zero emissions is a confirmation of the future proof technology that BeHydro can offer to innovative shipowners worldwide.

“The 100% hydrogen engine range is available from 900 kW till 2670 kW for different marine applications.”

LR previously awarded Type Approval to BeHydro for its hydrogen-powered dual-fuel engine in 2023, which was the first Type Approval for a dual-fuel hydrogen engine. 

 

Photo credit: Lloyd’s Register
Published: 19 June, 2026

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