Sumitomo to explore green NH3 bunkering options with Höegh Autoliners

The two companies have formalized their commitment through a Letter of Intent to collaborate on the supply and delivery of clean ammonia as a next-generation sustainable maritime fuel for Höegh Autoliners’ upcoming series of Aurora Class PCTC vessels. 

The announcement is intended to stimulate the upscaling of the supply and demand of clean ammonia for maritime usage, which both companies view as a promising future fuel for the maritime industry.

As part of the LOI, the companies will evaluate the compatibility of the PCTC vessels and the ammonia bunkering facilities at the two bunker ports. They endeavour to make necessary adjustments to specifications for both “shore-to-ship” and “ship-to-ship” bunkering operations and undertake safety assessments to establish standardized operational protocols and regulations in close coordination with pertinent government agencies. 

“The commitment with Sumitomo Corporation is a strong strategic move in our efforts to offer our customers net-zero transportation globally, addressing the need for sustainable fuel availability in key ports such as Singapore and Jacksonville. Pioneering net-zero transportation on ammonia-powered vessels places us at the forefront of the international shipping industry, and we take pride in collaborating with Sumitomo Corporation to achieve this significant milestone,” says Andreas Enger, CEO of Höegh Autoliners. 

Ammonia as a marine fuel

In compliance with requirements on carbon intensity from each auto-manufacturer, Sumitomo Corporation supplies various types of clean ammonia; “green ammonia” produced from renewable energy, “blue ammonia” with the CO2 from the production processes captured and permanently stored and “bio ammonia” produced from renewable natural gas, certified by International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) in accordance with the EU Renewable Energy Directive. 

“There is a compelling need for organizations to collaborate in the worldwide endeavour to attain future net-zero goals. Our collaboration with Höegh Autoliners embodies this commitment and is geared towards being a trailblazer and facilitator of the global maritime decarbonization effort. While the adoption of electric vehicles is important for greening land transportation systems worldwide, it is equally important to address the decarbonization of the maritime transportation process used to deliver these vehicles from the production facilities to their destinations. In this context, Sumitomo Corporation supports Höegh Autoliners by exploring the potential to provide clean ammonia as a bunker fuel for their modern vessels at strategic port locations,” says Koji Endo, General Manager of Energy Division, Sumitomo Corporation.  

The world’s most active developer to adopt ammonia as marine fuel

Sumitomo Corporation received Approval in Principle (“AiP”) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for the design of an ammonia bunkering vessel jointly with partners of a consortium, consisting of A.P. Moller – Maersk A/S, Fleet Management Limited, the Center, Sumitomo Corporation, Seatrium, ABS, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. and Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore(“MPA”) and expressed strong interest to develop an End-to-End Low or Zero-Carbon Ammonia Power Generation and Bunkering Solution in Singapore for the country’s Energy Market Authority and MPA. 

In addition, Sumitomo Corporation has been developing a comprehensive and competitive supply chain for the provision of ammonia ship-to-ship bunkering on the US East Coast including port of Jacksonville and Brunswick, the busiest auto ports in the country.