Australian mining giant charters up to 12 ammonia-powered ships from Belgian firm CMB.TECH

Australian mining company Fortescue has agreed to charter up to 12 ships from Belgian shipping group CMB.TECH that can run on ammonia, a fuel seen as a promising low-emission alternative for the shipping industry.

Under the deal, up to three vessels will be delivered with dual-fuel engines capable of running on both ammonia and diesel. They are expected to enter service by the end of this year. The remaining nine ships can be converted to use ammonia in the future.

The vessels are large bulk carriers designed to transport commodities such as iron ore and coal.

If all 12 ships eventually operate on ammonia, the companies estimate they could avoid around 250,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year compared with conventional marine fuels.

CMB.TECH chief executive Alexander Saverys said the agreement sends a strong signal that ammonia can become a practical fuel for cleaner shipping. The deal follows a similar agreement signed last year with a Japanese shipping company.

Ammonia is attracting growing interest as a shipping fuel because it can be produced using renewable energy and does not release CO2 when used. However, challenges remain, including high costs and limited fuelling infrastructure.

^{#FlandersNewsService | The CMB.TECH multimodal hydrogen energy charging station in Antwerp © BELGA PHOTO JASPER JACOBS}