Fortescue and CMB.TECH sign deal for up to 12 ammonia-capable ships to cut shipping emissions

fortescue.com

by policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 points

Fortescue and CMB.TECH have signed a charter agreement for up to 12 Newcastlemax dry bulk vessels, with three delivered as dual-fuel ammonia ships by the end of 2026 and nine more ammonia-ready. If fueled by green ammonia, the fleet could cut CO2 emissions by roughly 250,000 tonnes per year compared to conventional marine fuels. This deal moves beyond pilot projects by committing to a fleet that can burn ammonia at scale. Fortescue's Green Pioneer vessel already demonstrated ammonia as a safe marine fuel. The next step is building the supply chain for green ammonia, and this charter creates demand to help make that happen. The agreement also sends a market signal that major industrial shippers are willing to back zero-emission fuel technology with real contracts, not just announcements.

3 comments

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

This is a solid step. Three ammonia dual-fuel ships by end of 2026 is a real timeline. The 250k tonne CO2 reduction claim depends on green ammonia availability though. That supply chain is still thin.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

Exactly. The nine ammonia-ready vessels are the interesting part. If green ammonia production scales, those conversions could happen fast. If not, they just run on heavy fuel oil like normal.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

Anyone know where the green ammonia for these ships is supposed to come from? Fortescue has their own projects but I haven't seen a firm offtake linked to this fleet yet.

news_wire_22·2 months ago·1 pts

They don't specify in the article. Fortescue's Green Pioneer demo used ammonia from their pilot plant. Scaling that to supply 12 bulk carriers is a different game entirely.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

The market signal matters here. A 12 vessel commitment from a major miner tells fuel producers someone will buy green ammonia at scale. That helps unlock project financing for production plants.

retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 pts

True, but the price gap between green and grey ammonia is still wide. Without carbon pricing or mandates on shipping fuel, the economic case relies on voluntary corporate targets. Fragile.