The landmark operation took place on November 2, 2026, at the Port of Port Hedland, the world's largest dry bulk export port, where the 300-meter Newcastlemax bulk carrier Mineral Europa received certified green ammonia via a ship-to-ship transfer from a bunker vessel before entering port to load Fortescue iron ore bound for customers in China . The operation, completed in approximately two hours and confirmed successful at 8:42 a.m. Australian Western Standard Time, was carried out by Pilbara Ports, Fortescue, and Belgian maritime group CMB.TECH, working alongside regulators and operational teams .
The vessel, described as the world's first ammonia-powered dry bulk carrier, is on long-term charter to Fortescue through Bocimar, CMB.TECH's dry bulk shipping arm . Mineral Europa is a 210,000-dwt vessel equipped with a WinGD X72DF-A dual-fuel engine that uses high-pressure ammonia injection supplemented by roughly 5% pilot fuel at full load, achieving over 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in ammonia mode compared to diesel mode . The vessel loaded iron ore following the bunkering operation, directly connecting the ammonia fuel trial to one of the world's largest bulk commodity trade lanes .
The bunkering operation required extensive safety preparations given ammonia's toxicity and handling risks. Preparations included hazard and risk assessments, ship-to-ship compatibility studies, ammonia dispersion modeling, emergency response planning, vessel vetting, pilotage and towage arrangements, and dedicated bunkering procedures . Pilbara Ports issued a Local Marine Notice establishing a one-nautical-mile exclusion zone around the vessel during the operation, with defined weather and sea-state limits and additional marine support . Samuel McSkimming, CEO of Pilbara Ports, stated that the trial demonstrated ammonia bunkering could be safely planned and delivered at one of the world's largest bulk export ports through rigorous preparation and strong partnerships .
The operation builds on the world's first ship-to-ship ammonia transfer conducted at the Port of Dampier in 2024 and supports the Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub initiative, which aims to establish clean fuel bunkering capabilities in Western Australia . Dino Otranto, CEO of Fortescue Metals, emphasized that the trial proves green ammonia can be bunkered safely at scale, addressing a concern that has held the industry back for years, while calling for policy certainty and long-term offtake to unlock demand and de-risk investment in green ammonia projects .
Fortescue has chartered another nine CMB.TECH vessels that are ammonia-ready and can be converted to operate on ammonia in the future, representing potential demand for green ammonia fuel if conversion programs proceed . CMB.TECH CEO Alexander Saverys stated that Mineral Europa is the first vessel of its kind but many more will follow, positioning the operation as proof that decarbonizing shipping is happening today rather than remaining a distant ambition .
For the iron ore trade and Indian shipping interests, this development signals a potential pathway for decarbonizing one of the world's most voluminous dry bulk trade routes. The Australia-China iron ore corridor carries hundreds of millions of tonnes annually, and demonstrating that ammonia-powered vessels can operate within commercial port environments without disrupting cargo operations represents a critical step toward scaling alternative fuels . The insights from the Port Hedland trial will inform future bunkering activities and the next phase of the Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub, positioning Western Australia as a potential clean fuel supply hub for the Asia-Pacific shipping market .