Norwegian shipping company Höegh Autoliners has joined forces with Australian green technology, energy and metals group Fortescue to call on global shipping regulators to fast-track the adoption of green ammonia as the only marine fuel that can hasten the decarbonisation of the industry.
The two companies collaborated at COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, to jointly advocate for the global shipping industry to end reliance on dirty bunker fuel. Fortescue and Höegh Autoliners have committed to working together to explore the technical and commercial requirements for a green ammonia supply chain for bunkering, from Fortescue’s proposed global portfolio of projects to Höegh Autoliners’ global bunkering.
They have long shared a strong commitment to reducing emissions in the shipping sector as members of the First Movers Coalition for Shipping. Both companies will also sign a Call to Action for an Equitable Energy Transition in Shipping, to be launched at COP29.
In March 2024, Fortescue made history in sustainable shipping when its Green Pioneer became the world’s first vessel to use ammonia as part of a marine fuel at the Port of Singapore.
Höegh Autoliners, which operates what it considers the most sustainable PCTC fleet, recently launched a transformational green fleet renewal program – ordering 12 new multi-fuel-ready vessels designed for transportation of future cargo. The Aurora Class vessels have DNV’s ‘ammonia ready’ notation, and the last four vessels in the series are planned to be delivered with dual-fuel ammonia propulsion.
The Aurora Class has a capacity of up to 9,100 cars – and with strengthened decks and enhanced internal ramp systems, they can carry Electric Vehicles on all 14 decks. Two of the Aurora Class vessels are already in commercial operations, cutting CO2 emissions per car transported by up to 58% from the current industry average.
The alignment between Fortescue and Höegh Autoliners is said to come at a critical time for the future of international shipping, with the IMO due to soon make key decisions on how it will reduce emissions in line with the level of ambition set out in its 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships.
Fortescue Energy CEO Mark Hutchinson said: “Shipping is a global industry with a global regulator and today the industry is at a crossroads. The ongoing IMO greenhouse gas reduction debate must result in a clear, robust regulatory framework. There are so many transition fuels that are being peddled out there, but they are just a distraction. Only green ammonia can help us reduce carbon emissions in shipping and in turn can help us address the worst impacts of climate change. We need early incentives for hydrogen derived fuels – specifically ammonia for 2030 – otherwise, we are kicking the can down the road and leaving too large a scale up for the 2040s.”
CEO Höegh Autoliners, Andreas Enger, said: “Deep-sea transportation is the single most pollutive part of shipping, and accounts for 90% of all maritime emissions. Decarbonising the deep-sea segment is imperative to achieve the IMO’s net zero by 2050 goal for a 1.5C aligned pathway. Partnering with Fortescue is another milestone on our path to net zero. And a reiteration to our commitment to sailing for sustainability. With this partnership, we are removing carbon from one of the hardest-to-abate sectors, sending a strong demand signal for green ammonia down the value chain. Together, we are making sustainable shipping doable, accelerating the green transition within our industry, and setting a whole new standard for deep-sea shipping.”
COO Höegh Autoliners, Sebjørn Dahl, said: “With our green fleet renewal programme of 12 ammonia-ready Aurora Class vessels, the largest and most environmentally friendly car carriers ever built, and our commitment to ammonia as our fuel of choice, we are changing the game making significant strides toward our 2040 net-zero emissions goal. With Fortescue, we are making the impossible possible, actively changing the perception of deep-sea shipping and ensuring that we are ready to sail on green ammonia around the world from 2027.”
Image: Höegh Autoliners and Fortescue commit to green ammonia at COP 29 (source: Höegh Autoliners)
