Green ammonia produced at the world’s largest green hydrogen-ammonia facility in Chifeng, China, has been used to fuel the world’s first marine ammonia bunkering operation. The operation was carried out at COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry’s terminal in Dalian, where China Shipping & Sinopec Suppliers Co. completed the inaugural bunkering of a 5,500-horsepower port vessel powered by ammonia fuel.
The event marks the first time the full value chain — from green ammonia production to transport, bunkering, and use in marine vessels — has been successfully demonstrated, signalling a key development in efforts to decarbonise the shipping sector.
The fuel was supplied by Envision Energy’s Chifeng Green Hydrogen-Ammonia Project, which integrates wind, solar, and energy storage with proprietary hydrogen and ammonia production technologies. The facility has received ISCC Plus certification for its greenhouse gas footprint and renewable ammonia certification from Bureau Veritas.
The port tugboat used in the demonstration is equipped with an ammonia dual-fuel engine and a dedicated supply system, achieving an ammonia substitution rate of up to 91%. The vessel has been granted the “Ammonia Fuel Tug” classification by the China Classification Society.
This development also positions Dalian Port as the first in the world to offer a full range of alternative marine fuels, including biofuel, green methanol, LNG, and green ammonia, enhancing its role in the transition to low-carbon maritime transport in Northeast Asia.
The project is considered a significant milestone in the global push to reduce emissions from hard-to-abate sectors such as shipping, providing a model for scalable green fuel ecosystems.
