An excellent analysis on the benefits of clean ammonia & the WA bunkering solution.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sven-schwarz_greenammonia-maritimedecarbonization-bunkering-activity-7342789778121064448-GsdE/
When Ports Become Part of the Solution: The Case for Clean Ammonia
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Western Australia offers a rare but replicable blueprint - showing what’s possible when policy, production, infrastructure and operations align.
In the Pilbara region (Western Australia), a full-scale clean ammonia bunkering ecosystem is taking shape:
NH3 Clean Energy (ASX: NH3)is developing a 650,000 t/y ammonia plant powered by renewable electricity and backed by carbon capture and storage (CCS).
Woodside Energyand Angel CCS JV will provide offshore CO₂ storage for up to 900,000 t/y.
Pilbara Portsregulates and enables port access, safety frameworks and licensing.
Oceania Marine Energywill operate purpose-built ammonia bunker vessels for ship-to-ship bunkering at Dampier anchorage.
The timeline is clear:
• FEED phase by mid-2025
• Final Investment Decision (FID) by end of 2026
• Bunkering operations to begin by 2030
Why this matters:
• The Pilbara–East Asia iron ore corridor moves ~300 bulk carriers - a natural first market for clean ammonia.
• Just 16 ammonia-capable bulkers could drive ~600,000 t/y bunkering demand - covering 90 % of Phase 1 plant capacity.
• 29 ammonia-capable bulk carriers are already in the global orderbook.
In other words: the market signal is visible, and FID logic is within reach.
Key takeaway: Alignment - not just ambition.
What sets this project apart isn’t just its scale - it’s the synchronized commitment across the value chain:
✅ Political support and licensing
✅ Production with built-in CO₂ abatement
✅ Port infrastructure and operational safety
✅ Dedicated marine fuel logistics
✅ Targeted funding and clear FID milestones
As NH3 Chairman Charles Whitfield put it:
“This agreement sets a pathway for WA to become a global leader in the decarbonisation of maritime transport.”
Pilbara Ports CEOSamuel McSkimming:
“The green iron corridor between Pilbara and East Asia has the scale, stable demand, port infrastructure, and risk management experience to support this significant investment.”
Oceania Marine Energy MDNick Zaffaroni Bentley: „This Joint Development Agreement lays the foundation for a world-class ammonia bunkering operation at Dampier, ready to support the global transition to low-carbon shipping before 2030.”
Europe has the players and the industrial base to do the same.
But it needs:
✅ Regulatory clarity (e.g. AFIR, FuelEU, LCA and ZNZ thresholds)
✅ Harmonised public funding streams (e.g. Innovation Fund, InvestEU)
✅ Risk-sharing mechanisms to support first movers
Personal reflection:
If the pieces are in place in Europe - what’s still missing?
If not capacity - perhaps the courage to move first.
Strategy question:
Where else do we see real value chain alignment emerging?
And what would it take for ports in Europe, Asia or the Americas to move from planning to execution?