The ‘Mineral Europa’, believed to be the world’s first ammonia-powered dry bulk carrier, has successfully completed its sea trials and will soon embark on its maiden voyage to Australia.
Mineral Europa shows that ammonia can power large ships at sea and marks the start of a new generation of ammonia-powered vessels joining the CMB.Tech fleet.
According to CMB.Tech, shipping has reinvented the way vessels move across the oceans several times throughout history: from the oar to the sail, from steam to diesel. Mineral Europa marks the beginning of what the company describes as “the fifth propulsion revolution”. Powered by ammonia, the ship demonstrates that large ocean-going vessels can operate without CO₂ emissions.
CMB.Tech expects to introduce a new generation of ammonia-powered vessels across several shipping divisions, with 21 ammonia-powered ships scheduled for delivery between 2026 and 2029: 18 dry bulk carriers, one container vessel and two chemical tankers. Most of these are expected to be delivered by mid-2027.
Alexander Saverys, CEO CMB.Tech, said: “Today marks a defining moment for CMB.Tech and for the shipping industry. After almost a decade of hard work, we are proving that decarbonising shipping is no longer a distant ambition. It is happening today. Mineral Europa is the first of its kind, but many more will follow in the months and years ahead. At a time when the need to decarbonise shipping and strengthen energy independence has never been greater, our technology and our ships are a game changer for shipping. We are CMB.Tech. We decarbonise today to navigate tomorrow.”
Green ammonia turns renewable power, water and air into a fuel that can be produced worldwide. When used in a combustion engine, it emits no CO₂. Ammonia is considered to offer a scalable fuel pathway for shipping, while its ability to be produced in different parts of the world can help strengthen energy independence. Mineral Europa demonstrates that large ocean-going ships can be powered by ammonia. Thanks to improvements in technology, green ammonia could rapidly become cheaper than diesel.
Introducing ammonia-powered vessels is only one part of the transition. The fuel needs to be stored and delivered safely and efficiently to ocean-going ships. CMB.Tech is building the fuel ecosystem needed to support the transition to clean shipping. The company also invests in ammonia storage solutions and bunker barges to ensure ammonia can be delivered safely and efficiently to ocean-going ships.
Image: ‘Mineral Europa’, thought to be an important step in the transition towards zero-carbon shipping (source: CMB.Tech)
