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Ammonia cargo transferred between ships by Global Consortium at Australian port

Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Norway’s Yara, and Singapore’s Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation announced that they had completed a joint ammonia cargo-transfer operation in Australia. This will pave way for ammonia bunkering in the area.

Ammonia, one of the alternative fuels being explored by shipping companies to reduce carbon emission, is still in its preliminary development.

Mitsui O.S.K Lines stated that the Dampier port, which has experience in exporting ammonia to Australia, is expected to be a hub for ammonia bunkering in the near future.

Companies said that the trial was to simulate the bunkering conditions in the Dampier port (an ammonia producing region) and it marked the first time ever for ships at anchorage to transfer ammonia from one ship to another.

Murali Srinivasan is senior vice president at Yara and head of commercial. He said that the successful transfer of ammonia from ship to ship was a crucial learning step in enabling ammonia bunkering operations in a Port Environment as global shipping moves towards effective use of ammonia clean as a fuel.

During the trial two ship-to -ship transfers involving 4,000 cubic meters ammonia were conducted between a gas transporter owned by Mitsui O.S.K Lines, and a second carrier owned Navigator Gas.

The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation was responsible for the transfers. It has been testing and studying alternative fuels for refueling ships. (Reporting and editing by Jamie Freed; Jeslyn lerh)

(source: Reuters)