China Completes World's First Commercial Green Ammonia Ship-to-Ship Bunkering in Zhoushan

China has completed what project partners describe as the world's first commercial ship-to-ship bunkering of green ammonia, transferring 1,000 tonnes of renewable marine fuel to an ammonia-powered vessel at Zhoushan Port in Zhejiang Province. Conducted on 13 October 2026, the operation involved China Energy Engineering Group (Energy China), Belgian shipping company CMB.TECH and Jiangsu Andefu Energy Technology, marking a significant step towards the commercial deployment of alternative fuels in deep-sea shipping.

The green ammonia was transferred from the dedicated bunkering vessel Shenghang Yongle to Mineral Europa, an ammonia-powered vessel owned by CMB.TECH. Following the operation, the ship is scheduled to cross the Pacific to Australia for commercial service. The project demonstrates how renewable ammonia can move through an integrated supply chain, from hydrogen production and fuel synthesis to storage, transportation and delivery to an ocean-going vessel.

 

From Renewable Energy to Green Ammonia Production

 

The 1,000 tonnes of green ammonia originated from Energy China's HyFlow-1 Songyuan Hydrogen Energy Industrial Park in Jilin Province. The facility converts electricity generated from wind and solar power into hydrogen through water electrolysis, which is subsequently used to produce ammonia. The project's first phase entered formal operation in December 2025, establishing a production base for renewable fuels intended for industrial and maritime applications.

The Songyuan project has obtained ISCC EU Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO) certification and secured a commercial supply agreement for green ammonia used in ocean-going shipping. This certification provides a recognised framework for assessing renewable fuel production against specified sustainability requirements. However, the announcement does not disclose the fuel's verified lifecycle emissions intensity or the cost of producing ammonia compared with conventional marine fuels.

 

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China Establishes an Integrated Green Ammonia Supply Chain

 

The bunkering operation required coordination across several stages of transportation. Green ammonia produced in Songyuan was transported by road to storage facilities at Nanjing Port before being loaded onto Shenghang Yongle for delivery to Zhoushan. The final transfer took place offshore at an anchorage, completing the connection between inland renewable fuel production and an international shipping vessel.

According to the project partners, approximately 7,000 tonnes of green ammonia from Songyuan have already reached the Nanjing Port storage facilities and are scheduled for bunkering in batches. Carbon emissions were also tracked across the transportation process. While the operation demonstrates that the logistics can be coordinated commercially, expanding the model will require sufficient production capacity, specialised storage infrastructure and reliable fuel distribution networks. Transportation distances and associated costs will also influence whether green ammonia can compete with established marine fuels.

 

Safety and Bunkering Infrastructure Remain Central Challenges

 

Ammonia presents different operational risks from conventional marine fuels because of its toxicity. Storage, transportation and bunkering therefore require specialised containment systems, trained personnel and procedures to prevent leaks and manage potential exposure. Developing these capabilities is essential before ammonia can be adopted more widely at commercial ports and maritime fuel supply hubs.

Jiangsu Andefu Energy Technology obtained a liquid ammonia bunkering licence from the Zhoushan municipal government in May 2026. Three months later, Shenghang Yongle completed its conversion for ammonia bunkering and received the "Ammonia Bunkering" classification notation from China Classification Society. These developments provided the regulatory and technical foundation for the October operation. The project partners describe the transfer as several industry firsts, including the commercial use of a dedicated ammonia bunkering vessel and an operational ship-to-ship liquid ammonia bunkering licence.

 

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CMB.TECH Expands Demand for Alternative Marine Fuels

 

The project also reflects growing demand for alternative fuels from shipping companies seeking to reduce emissions from long-distance maritime transport. CMB.TECH has ordered 28 ammonia-powered vessels in the 210,000-tonne class, creating potential future demand for ammonia bunkering services. Securing reliable fuel supplies will be important as these vessels enter commercial service, particularly where bunkering infrastructure remains limited.

Green ammonia contains no carbon and therefore produces no direct carbon dioxide emissions during combustion. Its overall climate benefits, however, depend on how the ammonia is produced and transported, as well as how other emissions from onboard fuel use are controlled. Potential emissions of nitrogen oxides and nitrous oxide require attention because eliminating direct CO2 emissions does not automatically establish zero lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.

 

What the Milestone Means for Maritime Decarbonisation

 

The Zhoushan operation demonstrates progress in connecting renewable ammonia production with commercial maritime fuel delivery. It provides practical experience in coordinating fuel producers, logistics providers, port authorities, certification systems and shipping operators. This coordination is particularly important for new marine fuels, where production investments and vessel deployment depend partly on the availability of suitable bunkering infrastructure.

The next challenge is moving from individual commercial transfers to a reliable international fuel network. Green ammonia must become available in larger volumes, at competitive prices and across multiple shipping routes while meeting strict safety and environmental requirements. The 1,000-tonne transfer establishes an operational example, but its broader impact will depend on whether similar supply chains can be developed at the scale required by the global shipping industry.

 

Source: People's Government of Jilin Province