- Transfers reinforce Pilbara’s potential to be a green ammonia bunkering hub.
- Ammonia transfers were conducted under strict safety protocols, with requisite approvals, and overseen by Pilbara Ports and Australian Government agencies.
- The Pilbara is home to the world’s largest bulk export port, exporting iron ore, salt, lithium, natural gas, ammonia and other commodities.
- The Pilbara is a highly prospective region for low to zero greenhouse gas emissions shipping, and Port Dampier has extensive experience with ammonia export given Yara’s nearby operations that account for 5% of the world’s tradable ammonia and its record of shipping 11.8 million tonnes incident-free to date.
A Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation-led consortium has successfully conducted ship-to-ship transfers of ammonia at anchorages within the Port of Dampier on 14 September 2024, reports GCMD.
Successful transfers boost ammonia bunkering potential in Pilbara
A tripartite collaboration between the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD), Pilbara Ports and YCA was formed to realise Pilbara’s potential as a low-greenhouse gas (GHG) emission ammonia bunkering hub. This region was previously highlighted by a Global Maritime Forum study as a viable location for ammonia bunkering. Construction to enable renewable ammonia production by 2025 has commenced at Yara Pilbara’s facility.
The successful transfers demonstrate the operational viability of future ammonia bunkering in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
This pilot also marks a step towards operationalising a low-GHG emission shipping route for international iron ore trade, which is projected to require 1 to 1.5 million tonnes of ammonia by 2035, according to a joint 2023 study undertaken by Pilbara Ports, Yara Clean Ammonia and Lloyd’s Register.
Ship-to-ship transfer as a proxy to ammonia bunkering
In the absence of ammonia bunkering vessels and ammonia-fuelled ships at this stage, ship-to-ship transfers at anchorage offer the closest proxy to bunkering operations when it replicates the essential steps involved.
With this objective in mind, the trial began with a transfer at the Port of Dampier as a proxy to breakbulk, leveraging the port’s experience with ammonia export. The second transfer demonstrated the potential of bunkering operations, extendable also to other ports nearby, where such future operations for bulk carriers are expected to take place.
To operationalise this pair of transfers, the consortium built on proven procedures and incorporated additional safety mitigation measures.
These measures include the use of emergency release couplings, emergency shutdown devices and other safety equipment, and the implementation of hot-gas and nitrogen purging procedures after ammonia transfer. These were developed in close collaboration with safety consultants, ship-to-ship transfer service providers, ports, Australian Government agencies and experienced operators of ammonia vessels and a producer.
To mimic future ammonia bunkering scenarios, the Pilbara trials deployed a handysize and a midsize gas carrier with capacities that are similar to that expected of ammonia bunker vessels.
Safety studies and emergency response procedures developed for the transfers
Based on the findings and recommendations from GCMD’s 2023 safety study on piloting ammonia bunkering and its plans for actual operations, Pilbara Ports, Yara Clean Ammonia, and GCMD worked with multiple partners to conduct risk and safety studies and develop emergency response procedures for the transfers.
Starting in May 2024, the trio conducted a series of safety workshops that laid the groundwork for the risk assessments essential to the transfers. Pilbara Ports provided crucial regulatory guidance and logistical support for the transfers while Yara Clean Ammonia shared their extensive experience with safe ammonia handling and nominated a vessel from their time-chartered ammonia fleet for the trials.
In addition to conducting Hazard Identification (HAZID) and Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) studies, DNV, a Strategic Partner of GCMD, reviewed transfer parameters, including flow rates, transfer conditions, the vessels’ compatibility, operational plan, and procedures, such as task and safety job analysis as well as crew competencies, to assess execution readiness, with extensive support from the tripartite and the involved shipowners.
HAZID studies indicate no high-risk items across the seven risk nodes that were identified from approach to unmooring, taking into account the existing preventive and mitigative measures as well as the implementation of the study recommendations. Similarly, HAZOP studies on the transfer operations reveal no high-risk items across the three transfer nodes.
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) dispersion analysis carried out with site-specific weather and metocean data show a maximum plume length of less than one nautical mile (NM), well within the designated anchorage radius of the vessels.
The findings from these studies formed the basis for a Pilbara-specific draft emergency response plan (ERP) that Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) and partners, BlueTack and Stream Marine Technical, helped develop for this trial. As part of the recommendation, the Coral Knight, an ex-AMSA fire-fighting tug, was deployed to assist in the event of an emergency.
The findings and recommendations were presented to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), the Department of Transport (DoT), and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES), who provided guidance on operational safety.
Ecosystem support for ammonia transfer
With assessments completed, the tripartite group engaged and activated the broader ecosystem to operationalise the actual ammonia transfers. By leveraging the resources and expertise of its consortium partners, the group collaboratively navigated technical, operational and commercial complexities, and managed the inherent risks in the first of such pilots.
James Fisher Fendercare was contracted to provide resources to execute the transfer operations, with Yara Clean Ammonia providing the ammonia cargo from its plant near Dampier. The Green Pioneer, an MOL vessel time-chartered by Yara Clean Ammonia for commercial operations, was specifically assigned for these trials. MOL, an Impact Partner of GCMD, provided guidance towards the safety and risk assessments with additional marine staff onboard. Navigator Gas offhired and chartered its Navigator Global as the second vessel on behalf of GCMD. Marine specialists from both vessel owners provided technical and operational support towards the trial. Towage and tug services were provided by Rio Tinto.
Other consortium partners include bp, BHP, and Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS), all of whom are Strategic Partners of GCMD; Gard, an Impact Partner, and the Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore (TCOMS).
Did you subscribe to our daily Newsletter?
It’s Free! Click here to Subscribe
Source: GCMD
