On October 7, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) signed a memorandum of understanding with two companies, NH3 Clean Energy (NH3) and Oceania Marine Energy (Oceania), to develop a clean ammonia bunkering business in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
<Scenes from the signing ceremony>
In June, the Port of Pilbara announced its "Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub Initiative," Australia's first ammonia bunkering project. This memorandum of understanding will promote collaboration with NH3 and Oceania, marking the world's first participation of an ocean shipping company in ammonia bunkering in the region.
The Pilbara region is home to the world's largest iron ore shipping port and is a major port of call for cave-size bulk carriers.
The Ports of Pilbara has signed a joint development agreement with NH3, which supplies blue ammonia, and Oceania, which operates bunkering services, to realize low-carbon ammonia bunkering in the area. The goal is to start bunkering operations for Capesize bulk carriers at Dampier Port and Port Hedland Port by 30.
<CG rendering of an ammonia bunkering vessel that Oceania plans to order>
The memorandum of understanding aims to facilitate the transition of iron ore carriers in the Pilbara region to ammonia fuel, with the three companies—Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, NH3, and Oceania—to jointly propose solutions to iron ore suppliers in Western Australia and to conduct safety studies on ammonia bunkering.
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) plans to jointly own three ammonia-fueled Capesize bulk carriers, scheduled for completion at China Shipbuilding Corporation's Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding, with Belgium's CMB.TECH, and deploy them on a regular charter route for transporting iron ore between Western Australia and East Asia. MOL is currently considering establishing safe ammonia bunkering operations and ammonia procurement.
