In shipping's decarbonisation pathway, green ammonia has long been seen as one of the most promising zero-carbon fuels for deep-sea vessels.
As a hydrogen-based fuel, green ammonia can be synthesised from green hydrogen and nitrogen. It contains no carbon, so its use on board produces no carbon dioxide emissions. Compared with using hydrogen directly, ammonia offers advantages in storage density, long-distance transport and large-scale trading, which is why it has long been considered better suited to ocean-going shipping.
For the past few years, however, much of the industry debate has focused on whether the fuel "can be used" at all — whether engines are mature enough, whether vessels can be operated safely, how classification societies will certify them, and whether ports are ready to bunker it. Today, the question is shifting. It is no longer only about whether the technology works, but about who will use it, where it can be bunkered, and how a stable commercial cycle can be formed.
Several recent industry developments suggest that green ammonia is moving from the technical validation stage toward early commercial deployment.
1. Cargo owners step in: real transport demand for green ammonia begins to emerge
Australian mining and energy group Fortescue recently announced an agreement with CMB.TECH under which it will charter up to 12 ammonia-capable Newcastlemax bulk carriers from Bocimar, CMB.TECH's dry bulk operating arm.
Under the agreement, all of the vessels are 210,000 dwt large dry bulk carriers. Up to three of them will be fitted with ammonia dual-fuel engines and are expected to enter service before the end of 2026. The remaining nine will be "ammonia-ready", able to be converted to run on ammonia in the future as fuel supply and operational needs allow. Fortescue has indicated that, when running on green ammonia, the fleet could cut carbon dioxide emissions by around 250,000 tonnes per year compared with conventional marine fuels.
The significance of this announcement does not lie only in the fact that "more ammonia-fuelled ships are being added". What is more notable is that the parties involved are not purely ship technology companies or shipyards, but a major commodity cargo owner.
In the traditional shipping market, shipowners typically have to bear both the technology risk and the asset risk of new-fuel vessels. Yet the high cost of green fuels, uncertain supply and limited bunkering networks make it difficult for shipowners to commit to large-scale investment on their own. When a cargo owner such as Fortescue enters into long-term chartering arrangements directly, it signals that clearer transport demand and commercial scenarios are beginning to emerge around ammonia-fuelled vessels.
In other words, for green ammonia to move to scale, it is not enough for "shipowners to be willing to try". Cargo owners, fuel suppliers, ports and financing institutions also need to share the risk and help create demand.
2. Bunkering catches up: without infrastructure, ammonia-fuelled ships stay on paper
While progress is being made on the vessel side, bunkering is accelerating as well.
Norway's Azane Infrastructure is advancing three ammonia bunkering terminal projects, located at Florø, Risavika and Mongstad. According to publicly available information, each terminal will provide ammonia storage and bunkering capability, intended to serve the future operational needs of ammonia-fuelled vessels. The Norwegian state agency Enova has previously committed NOK 442 million in funding to the project.
This indicates that the build-out of ammonia bunkering infrastructure is moving into a more serious execution phase. The industry has long described "ships before fuel, or fuel before ships?" as the core dilemma of alternative-fuel development. Now, with government funding support, project milestones and coordinated port planning, the green ammonia supply chain is moving from "vision" to "project schedule".
This is particularly important for shipowners. Even where a vessel is technically capable of running on ammonia, a stable, compliant and safe bunkering network is essential for ammonia-fuelled ships to be operated on a routine basis.
Conclusion
Taken together, recent industry developments send a clear signal: green ammonia is moving from the trial stage to the eve of commercialisation.
The Fortescue–CMB.TECH agreement answers the question of "who will use ammonia fuel"; Azane's progress on ammonia bunkering terminals in Norway answers the question of "where to bunker it". The former marks cargo owners beginning to take a direct role in zero-emission shipping; the latter shows that port bunkering infrastructure is entering a more serious project delivery phase.
Tecway continues to follow the development of green hydrogen and its derivatives across shipping and the energy transition. Working with our clients, we support green-fuel sourcing, project collaboration and application-scenario assessments. If you are exploring green hydrogen, green methanol or green ammonia, or would like to discuss potential project opportunities, you are welcome to contact us.
Sources
- Fortescue: "Fortescue and CMB.TECH sign agreement to accelerate zero-emissions shipping"
- CMB.TECH / Euronext: "Press release: Fortescue and CMB.TECH sign milestone agreement for 12 ammonia bulkers to accelerate zero-emissions shipping"
- Azane Infrastructure: "Azane Infrastructure AS secures Enova grant to build ammonia bunkering terminals along Norwegian coast"