A world-first step toward clean fuel operations for iron ore carriers
In a move that could reshape the way ships refuel, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has become the first ocean-going shipping company to sign on to the Pilbara Clean Fuels Bunkering Hub initiative in Western Australia. The Japanese carrier inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NH3 Clean Energy and Oceania Marine Energy to develop the country’s first ammonia bunkering network in the resource-rich Pilbara region.
The Pilbara Ports Authority first announced the concept in June this year, aiming to create a low-carbon refueling hub serving Capesize bulkers calling at the ports of Dampier and Port Hedland by 2030.
At the signing ceremony were representatives from all three companies and Roger Cook, Premier of Western Australia.
A new kind of “fuel stop” for bulkers
If you think of traditional bunkering as a gas station for ships, this project is about swapping diesel for ammonia — a cleaner, low-carbon alternative. The Pilbara region, home to the world’s largest iron ore export terminals, is an ideal testing ground.
Under the agreement, NH3 Clean Energy will supply blue ammonia while Oceania Marine Energy will operate the bunkering business. Their joint plan: start fueling Capesize bulk carriers with ammonia within five years.
MOL’s involvement adds a crucial missing piece — the ships themselves. The company will introduce three ammonia dual-fuel Capesize bulkers built by Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding in China and co-owned with Belgium’s CMB.TECH NV. These vessels are set for delivery between 2026 and 2027 and will operate on the West Australia–East Asia trade route.
“An important milestone”
“This collaboration marks an important milestone in our efforts to establish a safe and reliable ammonia bunkering operation in the Pilbara region,” said Kazuhiro Takahashi, MOL’s Managing Executive Officer. “By working closely with our partners, we look forward to building a robust framework for safe ammonia bunkering and advancing sustainable shipping together.”
For NH3 Clean Energy’s Chairman Charles Whitfield, the deal underscores growing momentum in the shift toward low-emission maritime fuels. “This new agreement reinforces the growing momentum behind the shift to low-emission maritime fuels,” he said. “We sincerely appreciate Premier Cook and his team’s continued support in helping to establish this emerging clean energy industry.”
From mine to market, cutting emissions along the chain
The Pilbara Ports Authority’s vision is as much about Australia’s resource exports as it is about cleaner seas. Iron ore dominates Pilbara trade, and nearly every vessel calling there heads for Asia’s steel mills. If those massive ships can switch to ammonia fuel, the carbon footprint of global steelmaking could shrink significantly.
As Nick Bentley, Managing Director of Oceania Marine Energy, put it: “By combining NH3’s clean ammonia production capacity, Pilbara Ports’ infrastructure, Oceania’s bunker services and MOL’s pioneering dual-fuel fleet, we are creating an integrated end-to-end marine fuel solution that enables our customers to meet the IMO’s decarbonisation targets.”
It’s a big statement — and a big experiment. If the ammonia bunkering hub succeeds, it could offer a blueprint for other heavy-trade regions around the world to follow.
