Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub

Pilbara Ports is leading the development of a Pilbara clean fuel bunkering hub to facilitate the supply of locally produced clean marine fuels, to support the decarbonisation of the global shipping, maritime and resources industries.

As a key initiative under the Pilbara Ports Climate Action Plan, the strategy aims to reduce emissions from vessels servicing the Pilbara-North Asian trade route, one of the busiest shipping corridors globally.

With the region’s proximity to ammonia production facilities and shorter transit distances, the Pilbara is positioned to offer a commercially viable and sustainable supply of clean fuel with lower well-to-wake carbon intensity.

 As the global maritime sector accelerates its shift to alternative fuels, the Pilbara is expected to be one of the first locations worldwide to see large-scale deployment of clean-fuel powered vessels. 

More than 7,000 vessels visited our ports in 2023/24, of that 3,865 are iron ore vessel arrivals, primarily on the trade route to China. These iron ore vessels consumed more than 3.2 million tonnes of heavy fuel oil, contributing more than 9.9 million tonnes of CO2e emissions to the atmosphere. This would mean that the same iron ore fleet operating on low carbon ammonia would produce less than 560,000 tonnes of CO2e per year, a 94 per cent reduction.

This transition would unlock significant economic opportunities and support the global push to net zero by 2050.

The Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub is an initiative led by Pilbara Ports, in partnership with industry, to establish a reliable, sustainable marine fuel supply chain in the Pilbara. It is designed to support the decarbonisation of the maritime and resources industry by enabling vessels to refuel with clean fuels such as lower carbon ammonia.

The Pilbara’s role as a global bulk export hub, supplying half the world’s iron ore, makes it central to efforts to decarbonise the shipping fleet servicing the Pilbara to North Asia shipping route. As the global maritime sector accelerates its investment in alternative fuels, the Pilbara is expected to be one of the first locations worldwide to see large-scale deployment of vessels powered by clean fuels.

Shipping accounts for nearly three per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub, the first of its kind and a key initiative in Pilbara Ports Climate Action Plan, aims to help reduce these emissions by supporting the transition to clean marine fuels, by providing locally produced lower carbon ammonia fuel, aiding our customers in meeting their 2050 decarbonisation targets.

Our goal is for 100 per cent of bulk export vessels departing the Pilbara to be powered by clean fuels, supporting both our customers and communities in a sustainable future.

"Clean fuels" refers to fuels that emit significantly less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than conventional fossil fuels such as heavy fuel oil, including various forms of low carbon ammonia with differing carbon intensities.

When we refer to potential emissions reductions from shifting to low carbon fuels, we include emissions from the full lifecycle of the fuel from production through to use. While some alternative fuels, like low carbon ammonia, produce little or no greenhouse gas emissions when used onboard vessels, emissions can still occur during their production, depending on the energy sources and processes involved. The reduction figures reflect fuels produced using low emission pathways and aims to illustrate the significant potential for cleaner maritime operations when considering the full picture.

The Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub will be located within the Pilbara region of Western Australia, leveraging existing infrastructure and proximity to major ammonia production projects, ports, and international shipping routes.

Pilbara Ports is working towards establishing bunkering services at the Port of Port Hedland and the Port of Dampier at designated anchorages.

The next phase of the Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub is focused on progressing through nine key workstreams that are critical to operationalising clean fuel bunkering in the region. These workstreams cover areas such as infrastructure planning, regulatory readiness, safety, environmental management, and customer engagement.

Following a successful ammonia import trial at the Port of Dampier in 2024, we are now preparing for a ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering trial at the Port of Port Hedland, which will mark a significant step in demonstrating end-to-end feasibility.

In parallel, we have completed a detailed operational study at the Port of Port Hedland to assess the port’s capacity and readiness for clean fuel bunkering activities. These efforts are helping to build a strong foundation for safe, scalable, and commercially viable bunkering operations across the Pilbara.

Ammonia is rapidly emerging as one of the most promising lower carbon marine fuels for the decarbonisation of global shipping. Already widely produced, transported, and used in industrial quantities around the world, ammonia offers a proven supply chain and handling experience. A joint study by Pilbara Ports, Yara Clean Ammonia, and Lloyd’s Register projects that the international iron ore trade alone could require between one to 1.5 million tonnes of ammonia annually by 2035 to support low-emissions shipping.

There are several key reasons why ammonia is a strategic and practical choice for the Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub:

• Proximity to supply: The Pilbara region is already home to large-scale ammonia production facilities, with further green ammonia projects under development. This proximity significantly reduces transport and storage complexities, making supply chains more efficient and cost-effective.
• Safety and feasibility trialed: Pilbara Ports has already successfully conducted an ammonia import trial at the Port of Dampier. This demonstrated the Port’s capability to safely handle ammonia using existing infrastructure, which will inform future bunkering solutions.
• Strong customer demand: Many of Pilbara Ports major resource industry customers have indicated a clear preference for clean ammonia as a future marine fuel. They are increasingly seeking lower-emission solutions for bulk carriers and chartered fleets operating along key export routes to Asia.
• Regulatory momentum: The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has recognised ammonia as a key fuel pathway to decarbonise the shipping industry. New international guidelines supporting ammonia bunkering are expected to be formally adopted in October 2025 — paving the way for widespread uptake and giving port authorities a clear framework for safety and compliance.
• Strategic partnerships: Pilbara Ports has recently signed a landmark Joint Development Agreement with Oceania and NH3 Clean Energy to progress clean ammonia bunkering capabilities in the Pilbara. This collaboration underscores the hub’s credibility, investment readiness, and alignment with global decarbonisation trends.

In short, ammonia is not only viable, it is strategic, safe, and regionally available, aligning with both industry needs and international momentum for cleaner marine transport. The change to clean fuels is already happening. It is our role to support decarbonisation by ensuring that our ports are ready for this multi-fuel world and having appropriate bunkering procedures in place is key to that. 

‘Bunkering’ refers to supplying fuel (traditionally, heavy fuel oil) for use by ships, including the logistics of loading fuel onto a vessel and distributing it through available shipboard tanks. Bunkering is a routine activity in major ports globally, though does not currently occur at scale in the Pilbara.

The project is currently in the planning and development stage, including infrastructure feasibility and strategic partnerships. Timelines for operation will depend on industry readiness, fuel availability, regulatory approvals, and investment alignment.

Safety is a top priority. Pilbara Ports, its experienced marine team and its partners are working closely with regulators and experts to ensure that fuel handling, storage, and refuelling are conducted to the highest international safety standards.

We are engaging with Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) throughout our trials and as we progress our strategy. We are also working with international ports to understand safety and environmental impacts.

At Pilbara Ports, we have extensive experience in handling ammonia safely. This is evident at the Port of Dampier, where ammonia is already an intricate part of port operations due to Yara’s ammonia plant.

"As one of the world’s busiest bulk export hubs, Port Hedland plays a vital role in global trade – but its mining-related shipping also generates significant emissions. The Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub Strategy is a game changer, expanding access to cleaner fuel alternatives that will significantly reduce carbon output from bulk transport and accelerate industry-wide decarbonisation.” Fortescue 

"This initiative is a great example of the collaboration across industry and government required to capture once-in-a-lifetime opportunities like clean ammonia bunkering for Western Australia." NH3 Clean Energy Ltd

"Oceania is deeply gratified to support the Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Strategy as an ammonia bunkering solutions provider. Collectively, we have demonstrated that a technical, commercial, and strategic clean ammonia supply chain is achievable before 2030. Alignment has been forged across the region’s unique industrial ecosystem, positioning the Pilbara to capitalise on this immediate opportunity and build on proven experience and infrastructure to initiate the transition of the world’s highest-tonnage shipping fleet to low-carbon ammonia.” Oceania Marine Energy

"As one of the world’s largest dry bulk shippers and a founding partner of the Western Australia – East Asia Iron Ore Green Corridor, we’re proud to be at the forefront of efforts to decarbonise the maritime industry. Underpinning these efforts are initiatives such as the Pilbara Ports Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub, which has the potential to conveniently connect low-carbon ammonia production to a complementary demand base while bolstering regional development.

We look forward to building on our partnership with the Pilbara Ports and the broader corridor value chain." Rio Tinto

"Viva Energy Australia supports the ongoing efforts to establish the Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub. Drawing on our comprehensive supply, product quality and bunkering expertise in conventional hydrocarbon supply, we see this industry collaborative initiative as a pathway to decarbonisation in the marine sector and a way to assist our customers with their lower carbon journeys." Viva Energy Australia

"Collaboration enabled the successful ship-to-ship ammonia transfer in Pilbara last year—an approach central to Yara as we advance safe use of ammonia as maritime fuel. With operations in place and a renewable plant underway, Yara supports Pilbara Ports strategy to decarbonize iron ore with clean fuels.” Yara Clean Ammonia

For Pilbara Clean Fuel Bunkering Hub enquiries, please email pcfbh@pilbaraports.com.au.