Port of Rotterdam Hosts Successful Ammonia Bunkering Pilot

The Port of Rotterdam recently hosted a successful ammonia bunkering pilot between two vessels, executed by Trammo, OCI, and James Fisher Fendercare. At the Maasvlakte 2 APM terminal, the vessels transferred 800 m³ of liquefied ammonia at -33 ºC, which took approximately 2.5 hours alongside a newly constructed concrete quay. The demonstration validated the Port of Rotterdam Authority’s safety system for ammonia bunkering, with the first ammonia-bunker-fueled ships arriving in 2026 - 2027.

About the Project

The Port of Rotterdam Authority co-led the project with OCI, the owner and operator of Rotterdam’s ammonia terminal. Trammo delivered two tankers transporting OCI’s ammonia, while James Fisher Fendercare supplied the equipment and expertise required for safe ship-to-ship transfer at the APM’s berth location. Additionally:

• Victrol, a bunker barge operator, offered bunkering expertise during pilot preparation
• The DCMR Environmental Protection Agency, Rijnmond Safety Region, and the Joint Fire Service monitored the pilot for safe execution

The pilot project raised the Port of Rotterdam’s port readiness level (PRL) from PRL 6 to PRL 7, which allows ammonia bunkering on a project basis and prepares the port for ammonia-fueled ship bunkering. Before receiving and bunkering ships carrying alternative fuels, Rotterdam will ensure that all regulatory, safety, infrastructural, and supply requirements are satisfied. The port is already certified for LNG and methanol, with ammonia pilot lessons shared across the European Union, additional ports, and interested parties.

Ammonia bunkering pilot at Rotterdam; image credit: Bob van Bruggen

Rotterdam handles approximately 10 million tons of bunkered fuel per year, using grey ammonia for this pilot specifically. Together with all parties in the port, the Port of Rotterdam Authority aims to enable the bunkering of all alternative low-carbon fuels in the future, promoting greater sustainability for international shipping.

Pilot Funding

The European MAGPIE program backed this ammonia bunkering pilot, recruiting ports, research institutes, universities, and companies to integrate sustainability. MAGPIE intends to build out the supply and use of green energy across ports to enhance logistical efficiency. Research and development institution, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, participated in the pilot and will spread lessons learned to the international community. The MAGPIE program was funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation program.

Port of Rotterdam Projects

In late 2023, Air Liquide announced that it will build, own, and operate a global-scale carbon-capture site at the Rotterdam industrial basin in the Netherlands. The company will utilize its Cryocap technology for the carbon-capture project, and it will be installed at Air Liquide’s hydrogen production plant located in the Port of Rotterdam. This unit will be connected to a large-scale carbon-capture and storage infrastructure project called Porthos, which is designed to reduce CO₂ emissions in the industrial basin.

CO₂ will be captured from the hydrogen production plant in the port of Rotterdam using the company’s Cryocap technology, designed to draw CO₂ from the atmosphere with a cryogenic process. Captured CO₂ is then transported through the under-development Porthos infrastructure and permanently sequestered in depleted gas fields in the North Sea, approximately 20 km off the coast. Scheduled for commercial operation in 2026, Air Liquide will be able to supply decarbonized hydrogen for its long-term customers.