Fortescue conducts trails with ammonia-diesel marine fuel

Fortescue, with the support of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), government agencies, research institutes, and industry partners, has successfully conducted the world’s first use of ammonia, in combination with diesel in the combustion process, as a marine fuel onboard the Singapore-flagged ammonia-powered vessel, the Fortescue Green Pioneer, in the Port of Singapore. Image credit: Fortescue

Fortescue, in collaboration with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), government bodies, research institutions, and industry partners, has successfully executed the inaugural utilisation of ammonia as a marine fuel aboard the Fortescue Green Pioneer, a dual-fueled vessel, within the confines of the Port of Singapore.

The vessel, equipped to run on a combination of ammonia and diesel in its combustion process, obtained liquid ammonia from the established facility at Vopak Banyan Terminal on Jurong Island for this pivotal fuel trial.

Notably, the vessel has secured flag approval from the Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS) along with the coveted “Gas Fueled Ammonia” notation from classification society DNV, thus enabling its utilisation of ammonia-diesel blend as a maritime fuel.

Ammonia, conventionally employed in agriculture and industry, emerges as a promising carrier for hydrogen, pivotal for power generation and marine propulsion in line with the global energy transition.

This development comes amid increasing orders for dual-fueled ammonia vessels worldwide, underscoring the growing interest in ammonia as a viable marine fuel.

The collaboration between Fortescue, MPA, and industry partners, underpinned by rigorous technology qualification processes, exemplifies Singapore’s leadership in alternative fuel bunkering and maritime innovation.