ROTTERDAM has piloted a ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering operation that it says proves the possibility of safe transfers without leaks into the environment.

The trial saw 800 cu m of liquid ammonia at -33°C moved between two ships berthed alongside APM Terminals’ Maasvlakte II facility.

“This marks an important step in preparing the port for vessels bunkering clean ammonia,” the port said. “Ammonia is a carbon-free fuel, so no CO2 is released during combustion. The first ships capable of using ammonia as a bunker fuel are expected in 2026 or 2027.”

The two-and-a-half-hour operation saw a collaboration between OCI, which operates the port’s ammonia terminal, and commodities trader Trammo, which supplied the two tankers carrying OCI’s ammonia.

James Fisher Fendercare provided equipment and expertise to ensure the safe execution of the ship-to-ship transfer at the berth, and bunker barge operator Victrol shared its bunkering expertise during the preparation of the pilot.

“The demonstration validated the port of Rotterdam safety framework for ammonia bunkering, establishing that it is possible to do this safely and without ammonia release,” the port said.

Rotterdam, the second largest bunkering hub in the world, supplies around 10m tonnes of fuel annually.

While the trial used grey ammonia, the port said low-carbon green ammonia was expected to play a key role in the decarbonisation of shipping in the future.