Fortescue Green Pioneer completes breakthrough ammonia dual fueled trials

Photograph: Fortescue

Australian mining giant Fortescue is continuing its multi-faceted foray into green energy. With support from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), government agencies, research institutes, and industry partners, it has successfully completed propulsion and maneuverability trials of its Singapore-registered Fortescue Green Pioneer in the Port of Singapore. The trials were conducted using 6.4 cubic meters (4.4 tonnes) of liquid ammonia, in combination with diesel and hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO), a second-generation biofuel, as marine fuel over 10 days from 23 April 2024 to 2 May 2024.

The Fortescue Green Pioneer is the former MMA Leveque, a 2010-built offshore supply vessel acquired by Fortescue from Australia’s MMA Offshore in March 2022 specifically for conversion to ammonia dual fuel operation. Fortescue subsequently successfully retrofitted the first of the vessel’s four-stroke engine to run on a blend of ammonia and diesel at its Perth, Western Australia, testing facility in 2023 and subsequently installed an entire gas fuel delivery in the vessel.

This latest milestone follows the successful conduct of the world’s first dual-fueled ammonia fuel trial in Port of Singapore by the Fortescue Green Pioneer in March 2024, in which the vessel received flag approval from the Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS) and the “Gas Fueled Ammonia” notation from classification society DNV to use ammonia, in combination with diesel, as a marine fuel.

The approval and notation were awarded upon the completion of a series of fuel trials that were conducted over a period of seven weeks in February and March 2024 using three tonnes) of liquid ammonia. Those trials, conducted at anchor, included testing of the vessel’s ammonia storage systems, associated piping, gas fuel delivery system, retrofitted engines, and seaworthiness. Members of the maritime community visited the vessel during the Singapore Maritime Week in April 2024 to learn about the trials, emergency procedures and training of seafarers for the safe handling of ammonia fuel.

To facilitate this most recent set of trials involving propulsion and maneuverability tests as part of the vessel’s ongoing sea trials, a further tranche of approximately 4.4 tonnes of liquid ammonia was loaded on April 23, 2024 at the Vopak Banyan Terminal, Jurong Island.

A designated test area along Raffles Reserved Anchorage was secured by MPA for the trials, and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was set up at MPA’s Port Operations Control Center for representatives of MPA, Fortescue, Vopak, research institutes, and government agencies to monitor the fuel loading and sea trial operations. Ammonia plume modeling and drone surveillance was also used by the EOC to support safety and incident planning and response. This set of trials can be enhanced to support the sea trials of planned ammonia-fueled vessels under the Singapore Registry of Ships prior to delivery if required.

The propulsion and maneuvrability trials also included tests to validate the management of nitrogen-based emissions, and assessment of the vessel’s engine capability to operate on varying amounts of HVO in combination with ammonia.

As part of MPA’s efforts to strengthen maritime cybersecurity as vessels become increasingly digitalized and connected, MPA is also in discussion with Fortescue on the monitoring of info-comm technology and operational technology systems onboard the Fortescue Green Pioneer to develop resilience of vessels with alternative fuels against cyber threats. In the coming months, the Fortescue Green Pioneer is expected to play a key role in driving awareness of the need for the global shipping industry to adopt solutions such as green ammonia.