The world’s first commercial ship-to-ship green ammonia bunkering operation was completed at an anchorage in Zhoushan Port, Zhejiang Province, China, marking a major decarbonisation breakthrough.
On 13 October, 1,000 tonnes of green ammonia fuel were transferred directly via a specialised liquid ammonia bunkering vessel, Shenghang Yongle, to the Mineral Europa, an ammonia-powered vessel owned by Belgian maritime company CMB.TECH. Following the refuelling operation, the vessel departed Zhoushan to cross the Pacific Ocean to Australia for commercial service.
The milestone operation was carried out jointly by China Energy Engineering Group (Energy China) Hydrogen Energy Co., Ltd., CMB.TECH, and Jiangsu Andefu Energy Technology Co., Ltd.
It marks the first time green ammonia has been deployed commercially across the complete deep-sea shipping supply chain, encompassing production, storage, transport, refuelling, and onboard power.
Green ammonia is considered a potential alternative fuel for decarbonising ocean shipping as it produces no direct carbon dioxide emissions and can be made using renewable energy.
However, ammonia’s toxicity places stringent demands on safety management and operating procedures.
The green fuel was produced at Energy China’s integrated green hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol industrial park in Songyuan, Jilin Province.
Operating since December 2025, the facility converts wind and solar power into zero-emission marine fuel using water electrolysis and green synthesis. The fuel was transported by road to Nanjing Port before being loaded onto the Shenghang Yongle for offshore delivery.
To date, 7,000 tonnes of green ammonia produced by the Songyuan project have reached the Nanjing Port tank farm and will be bunkered in batches as planned.
The achievement delivers several major global firsts, including the first commercial offshore ship-to-ship green ammonia refuelling, the deployment of a dedicated ammonia bunkering vessel, and the practical use of a ship-to-ship liquid ammonia bunkering licence.
As CMB.TECH continues to expand its fleet of ammonia-powered vessels, the successful operation establishes a proven, real-world pathway for scaling low-carbon fuels across international trade routes.
