Top Page > Press Release 2025 > First in the World as an Ocean-Going Shipping Company to Participate in the Ammonia Bunkering Hub Initiative in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia - MOL signs MoU with NH3 Clean Energy and Oceania Marine Energy for Ammonia Bunkering Development -

First in the World as an Ocean-Going Shipping Company to Participate in the Ammonia Bunkering Hub Initiative in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia
- MOL signs MoU with NH3 Clean Energy and Oceania Marine Energy for Ammonia Bunkering Development -

October 07, 2025

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto, Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo) today has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NH3 Clean Energy Limited (NH3) and Oceania Marine Energy (Oceania) regarding the development of clean ammonia bunkering operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. This is a memorandum of understanding to promote collaboration with NH3 and Oceania on the Pilbara Clean Fuels Bunkering Hub initiative (Note 1), which is Australia's first ammonia bunkering concept announced by the Pilbara Ports Authority in June this year. MOL will be the world's first ocean-going shipping company to participate in this initiative.

(At the signing ceremony, from left: NH3 Chairman Charles Whitfield, NH3 Chief Executive Officer Stephen Hall,
MOL Managing Executive Officer Kazuhiro Takahashi, Premier of Western Australia Roger Cook, Oceania Managing Director Nick Bentley)

The Pilbara region of Western Australia is home to the world's largest iron ore export port and serves as a major port of call for Capesize bulkers. The Pilbara Ports Authority has entered into a joint development agreement with NH3, which will supply blue ammonia, and Oceania, which will operate the bunkering business, to realize low-carbon ammonia bunkering in the region. Their goal is to commence bunkering operations for Capesize bulkers at the ports of Dampier and Port Hedland by 2030.

(CG Image of ammonia bunkering vessel to be ordered by Oceania)

This MoU aims for MOL, NH3, and Oceania to collaborate on the transition of iron ore carriers in the Pilbara region to ammonia fuel and the realization of the WAH2 project(Note 2). Together, we will jointly propose solutions to Western Australian iron ore suppliers and work to address issues such as safety in ammonia bunkering operations.

MOL will jointly own three ammonia dual-fuel Capesize bulkers with Belgium-based CMB.TECH NV, which are scheduled to be delivered by China State Shipbuilding Corporation's Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. between 2026 and 2027. These vessels will be chartered by MOL(Note 3). MOL is looking to establish a fleet of ammonia duel-fuelled capesize bulk carriers on the West Australia to East Asia trade route and ensure safe ammonia bunkering operations and consider the procurement of ammonia. As an operator of ammonia dual-fuel vessels, MOL will work for this project to advance considerations regarding safety assurance and ammonia procurement in the Pilbara region.

MOL's Managing Executive Officer Kazuhiro Takahashi commented:

We are honored to sign this MoU with NH3 and Oceania today, which will be a vital hub for our ammonia dual-fueled capesize bulkers scheduled to commence operations from 2026. This collaboration marks an important milestone in our efforts to establish a safe and reliable ammonia bunkering operation in the Pilbara region. By working closely with our partners, we look forward to building a robust framework for safe ammonia bunkering and advancing sustainable shipping together.

NH3's Chairman Charles Whitfield commented:

We are delighted to have this agreement with MOL that helps to take the clean ammonia bunkering business another step closer to reality. This new agreement reinforces the growing momentum behind the shift to low-emission maritime fuels and builds on the existing Joint Development Agreement between NH3, Pilbara Ports, and Oceania Marine to establish an ammonia hub in the Pilbara by 2030. We sincerely appreciate Premier Cook and his team's continued support in helping to establish this emerging clean energy industry - paving the way for a more sustainable future for our mining sector and energy exports.

Oceania's Managing Director Nick Bentley commented:

Oceania's collaboration with MOL and NH3 Clean Energy shows how partnerships across the energy and shipping sectors can deliver real emission reduction outcomes for Australia's iron ore exporters and shipping industry. By combining NH3's clean ammonia production capacity, Pilbara Ports' infrastructure, Oceania's bunker services and MOL's pioneering dual-fuel fleet, we are creating an integrated end-to-end marine fuel solution that enables our customers to meet the IMO's decarbonisation targets.

NH3 Clean Energy Limited:
NH3 Clean Energy Limited (ASX: NH3) is an Australian company focused on Future Energy project development and Future Energy materials exploration and project development. NH3 is developing a business to deliver decarbonized hydrogen (low-emissions ammonia) into export and domestic markets at scale, via its WAH2 Project. NH3 plans to use renewable energy to the greatest extent practicable. NH3 100% owns the McIntosh Nickel-Copper-PGE project and the Halls Creek Gold and Base Metals project in Western Australia. NH3 has an earn-in arrangement on its McIntosh graphite property.
Website: www.nh3ce.com

Oceania Marine Energy:
Oceania Marine Energy is an Australian private company headquartered in Perth, WA. We are dedicated to developing safe, reliable clean ammonia bunkering in the Pilbara, where our bunker vessel Oceania α will provide the critical link between Dampier's low-carbon ammonia supply and deep-sea vessels operating on the Australia-Asia shipping corridor - Enabling decarbonization of the shipping industry in line with the IMO net-zero framework and the Pilbara Port Clean Fuel Strategy.
Website: https://oceania.energy/

(Note 1) This is a concept to supply low-carbon ammonia produced in the Pilbara region as marine fuel, which was announced by the Pilbara Ports Authority in June this year. The potential bunkering sites being considered are the Dampier Anchorage or the Port Hedland Anchorage.

(Note 2) The WAH2 Project is NH3's flagship project to supply low-emissions ammonia to the decarbonizing powerhouse economies of the Asia Pacific, including Japan and South Korea as well as being a source of decarbonized 'bunker' fuel for powering bulk carriers carrying iron ore from Australia to Asia. The project is well placed as Asia's energy transition drives an increasing demand for low emissions energy.

(Note 3) Please refer to the past press release.
MOL Deploys the World's First Ammonia-fueled Capesize Bulkers and Chemical Tankers | Mitsui O.S.K. Lines

MOL Group 5 Sustainability Issues
MOL Group identifies "Sustainability Issues" (Materiality) as our key issues for sustainable growth with society through realization of the Group Vision.
We anticipate this initiative to contribute especially to the realization of "Safety & Value -Provide added value through safe transportation and our social infrastructure business-", "Environment -Conservation for Marine and global environment-" and "Innovation -Innovation for development in marine technology-."