Fortescue Leads the Way with World's First Digital Fuel Certificate for Ammonia Bunkering

The global maritime industry is witnessing a pivotal moment in its journey towards zero-emission fuels with the announcement of successful completion of the world’s first digital fuel certificate pilot for ammonia bunkering. This landmark achievement, spearheaded by Fortescue, a prominent Australian conglomerate, marks a significant stride in establishing verifiable and transparent systems for future green fuel operations.

The historic transaction involved the Fortescue Green Pioneer, renowned as the world's first ocean-going dual-fuel ammonia-powered vessel, during a recent fuel transfer operation at the bustling Port of Rotterdam. The digital certificate, a critical component of this pilot, was issued via Trovio’s innovative CorTenX registry platform. This platform is designed to record comprehensive end-to-end supply chain data, encompassing crucial details such as port and vessel information, transaction timestamps, and essential sustainability metrics.

According to the collaborating partners, this digital certificate offers unparalleled auditable transparency. It meticulously captures data on the sustainability attributes of the fuel, providing a clear record of its origin, handling procedures, and transfer specifics. This level of detail is vital for fostering trust and accountability within the nascent green fuel ecosystem.

Jonas Moberg, CEO of Green Hydrogen Organisation (GH2), emphasized the timely nature of this development. "Following the International Maritime Organization’s ground-breaking agreement in April on mandatory emissions limits and GHG pricing for global shipping, green fuel producers have received an important signal to supply the industry," Moberg stated.7 He further added, "It is essential that systems are put in place not only to capture the volumes but the key environmental attributes of fuels such as e-ammonia made from renewables. The recent pilot shows we are ready to record those attributes as soon as the fuels start being delivered to ships." This highlights the critical need for such digital infrastructure to complement the regulatory push towards greener shipping.

Andrew Hoare, Fortescue’s Head of Green Shipping, underscored the broader implications of the pilot. He noted that this initiative represents "a key step in scaling the infrastructure required for zero-emission fuels." Hoare also proudly highlighted Fortescue's commitment to setting "new benchmarks for transparency and traceability" by being the first company to complete an ammonia-to-ship fuel transfer with full digital certification.

This pilot builds upon Fortescue Green Pioneer’s impressive track record. In March 2024, the Singapore-flagged vessel made headlines for participating in what was described as the world’s first use of ammonia as a marine fuel onboard an ammonia-powered vessel in Singapore. Following this successful bunkering trial, the vessel received crucial flag approval from the Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS) and the "Gas Fuelled Ammonia" notation by classification society DNV, officially enabling it to use ammonia, in combination with diesel, as a marine fuel.