Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub

Positioning the Pilbara as a global leader in low-emission shipping

Pilbara Ports is leading the development of a Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub to support the decarbonisation of shipping and help enable the transition to cleaner marine fuels. 

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• In 2025–26, more than 9,000 vessels visited Pilbara Ports, including 3,944 iron ore carriers, primarily servicing trade with China.
• The total emissions associated with distinct iron ore vessels that visited the Pilbara in 2025–26 are estimated at between 23.7 and 39.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2).
• Converting the iron ore fleet to ammonia fuel could reduce emissions by 88 per cent, to between 2.7 and 4.5 million tonnes of CO2.

Why it matters

Shipping is a significant source of global greenhouse gas emissions, and international shipping customers are under increasing pressure to reduce the emissions associated with moving products to market. With ports across the Pilbara and direct connections to major. export supply chains, Pilbara Ports is well placed to support practical emissions reduction across one of the world's busiest trade routes.

The Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub will help customers access lower-carbon marine fuels and create the foundations for a new clean fuel industry in the Pilbara, building on the region's strengths in energy, resources, infrastructure and global export supply chains.

Why low-carbon ammonia?

Low-carbon ammonia is emerging as one of the leading alternatives to conventional marine fuels. It has an established supply chain, growing industry support and strong alignment with future maritime decarbonisation pathways.

Key advantages of low-carbon ammonia

• Proximity to ammonia production projects in the Pilbara.
• Established global handling and transport experience.
• Strong interest from major shipping and resources customers.
• Alignment with emerging International Maritime Organization requirements.

How does the Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub work?

Rather than a single facility, the Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub brings together fuel production, supply, storage and port operations to support the transition to lower-emission shipping.

Our progress to date

Pilbara Ports is progressing the Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub through planning, trials and industry collaboration.

Port of Port Hedland ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering trial

In an Australian first, 500 tonnes of green ammonia was safely transferred at anchorage over two-hours to an ammonia-powered dry bulk carrier at the Port of Port Hedland on Tuesday 2 November 2026. The successful trial brought together Pilbara Ports, Fortescue and CMB.TECH, alongside regulators and operational teams, to demonstrate a practical pathway for safely refuelling ammonia-powered vessels in a live port environment.

Building on the world-first ship-to-ship ammonia transfer completed at the Port of Dampier in 2024, the Port of Port Hedland trial advances Pilbara Ports vision to establish Australia’s first clean fuel bunkering hub in the Pilbara and support shipping’s transition to cleaner fuels.

With shipping responsible for around three per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, expanding the safe and practical use of lower-emission fuels is critical to the sector’s decarbonisation. Insights from the Port of Port Hedland trial will be reviewed to inform future ammonia bunkering operations and support the next phase of the Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub initiative.

World first ship-to-ship ammonia trial

In September 2024, a world first ship-to-ship transfer of ammonia was safely completed at the Port of Dampier anchorage, involving the transfer of 4,000 cubic meters (approximately 2,700 tonnes) of ammonia. The trial, which was a partnership between Pilbara Ports, the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) and Yara Clean Ammonia was a significant step in demonstrating the possibility of safely bunkering ammonia at anchorages in a port environment. The successful transfers have been recognised globally as a significant step towards decarbonising shipping fuel.

The global shipping industry is an ecosystem, in which making change depends on multiple organisations coming together to collaborate. This is why trials like the one in Dampier are so important. Each such trial, conducted by like-minded partners across the world, across both the public and private sector, moves us incrementally closer to meeting our shared goals for carbon reduction.

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