Höegh and Fortescue highlight green ammonia

Oslo-based Höegh Autoliners and Australia’s Fortescue, a green technology, energy and metals group, have called on regulators this week at COP29 to hasten the adoption of green ammonia as the only marine fuel that can hasten shipping’s decarbonisation drive.

The two companies, members of the First Movers Coalition, will examine what is needed for a green ammonia supply chain for green ammonia fuel supplies. They will also sign a Call to Action for an Equitable Energy Transition in Shipping, which will be launched at the two-week-long Conference of the Parties (COP) which is being held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Earlier this year, Fortescue’s offshore supply ship, Green Pioneer, became the world’s first vessel to use ammonia as part of its marine fuel at the Port of Singapore. Meanwhile, Höegh claims to operate the world’s most sustainable PCTC fleet: the company is taking delivery of 12 Aurora-class ships initially running on LNG and low sulphur fuel oil.

Two of the 9,100-CEU ships are already in service and are cutting carbon emission by up to 58%, the company said. Together with the next six deliveries, they will be converted to run on ammonia in the future. The final four ships in the series will be delivered with dual-fuel ammonia propulsion.

The two company’s bosses both made forthright statements. Höegh’s CEO, Andreas Enger, declared: “Deep-sea transportation is the single most pollutive part of shipping, and accounts for 90% of all maritime emissions. Decarbonising the deep sea segment is imperative to achieve the International Maritime Organization’s net zero by 2050 goal for a 1.5°C-aligned pathway.

“Partnering with Fortescue is another milestone on our path to net zero,” he continued. “And a reiteration to our commitment to sailing for sustainability. With this partnership, we are removing carbon from one of the hardest-to-abate sectors, sending a strong demand signal for green ammonia down the value chain.”

Mark Hutchinson, CEO of Fortescue Energy, said: “Shipping is a global industry with a global regulator and today the industry is at a crossroads. The ongoing IMO greenhouse gas reduction debate must result in a clear, robust regulatory framework.  

“There are so many transition fuels that are being peddled out there, but they are just a distraction. Only green ammonia can help us reduce carbon emissions in shipping and in turn can help us address the worst impacts of climate change. We need early incentives for hydrogen-derived fuels – specifically ammonia for 2030 – otherwise, we are kicking the can down the road and leaving too large a scale-up for the 2040s.”