The Green Pioneer Project:

The Fortescue Green Pioneer is a platform supply vessel that has made history by becoming the world’s first ammonia-powered vessel. This achievement is particularly significant in the context of Fortescue’s broader strategy to decarbonize its supply chain. "We need to decarbonize our supply chains," Andrew noted, highlighting the company's commitment to reducing the environmental impact of transporting approximately 200 million tons of iron ore annually.

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Recognizing the limitations of traditional fuels and the challenges associated with hydrogen, Fortescue opted to explore ammonia as a marine fuel. "We realized that probably using ammonia as a marine fuel was going to be both the greenest and easiest to do," Andrew explained. This led to the development of a comprehensive project that included converting a Cummins KTA 50 engine to run on ammonia and modifying the vessel in the Seatrim shipyard in Singapore.

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Innovation in Regulation and Industry Impact:

One of the key aspects of the Green Pioneer Project was its contribution to regulatory development. By making the ammonia systems visible and accessible, Fortescue facilitated a better understanding of the technology for those involved in shaping industry guidelines. "We were able to lay out the equipment to be visible for people to see who are making decisions on the regulation," Andrew said, underscoring the project’s role in advancing the regulatory framework for new marine fuels.

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The project’s success has positioned ammonia at the forefront of discussions around future fuels at global forums such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO). "I think we've managed to accelerate the discussion or bring ammonia to the front of the discussion," Andrew remarked, emphasizing the project's impact in pushing ammonia from a distant possibility to an imminent reality in the maritime industry.​​​