Mineral Europa takes green ammonia at Port Hedland in a two-hour live port bunkering trial
The 209,000 dwt bulk carrier on charter to Fortescue completed the transfer on 2 November; the volume was not disclosed
The ammonia-powered bulk carrier Mineral Europa has completed a trial green ammonia bunkering at Port Hedland, one of the world's largest bulk export ports. Pilbara Ports, CMB.TECH and Fortescue said the transfer on 2 November took two hours. They did not disclose the volume loaded.
The 209,000 dwt ship is on charter to Fortescue, carrying iron ore from Western Australia to China. Last month she took on 1,000 tonnes of green ammonia at Zhoushan in the first commercial ship-to-ship operation involving the fuel.
"Together with Fortescue and CMB.TECH, we have shown that ammonia bunkering can be safely planned and delivered in one of the world's largest bulk export ports through rigorous preparation, strong partnerships and an unwavering focus on safety," said Samuel McSkimming, chief executive of Pilbara Ports.
Fortescue has run earlier bunkering trials with its demonstration vessel Fortescue Pioneer and is chartering another nine CMB.TECH ships that can later be converted to ammonia. Chief executive Dino Otranto said the trial marks a step towards bunkering Fortescue's vessels with ammonia produced in Australia from its own renewable energy.
How many ports can supply ammonia?
Very few. A new 65-page Lloyd's Register report counted LNG bunkering at 222 ports, methanol at 25 and commercial ammonia bunkering at only one when its research closed in September. That one was Ulsan, where about 600 tonnes went into Exmar's Antwerpen in April.
Against that, the report counted 385 methanol-capable and 45 ammonia-capable ships on order, within 1,942 alternative-fuel-capable ships on order at the start of 2026, or 47% of orderbook tonnage. DNV's latest figures put alternative-fuelled orders so far this year at 364, 57% higher than in the same period of 2025, with LNG taking 230 of them.
"Mineral Europa is the first vessel of its kind, but many more will follow in the months and years ahead," said Alexander Saverys, chief executive of CMB.TECH.
This story is part of the Maritime Briefing of 5 November 2026.
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