Green ammonia-fuelled bulk carriers could begin operating on the South Africa-Europe iron ore trade route as early as 2029, according to a new Global Maritime Forum (GMF) study.

Developed with Anglo American, CMB.TECH, Freeport Saldanha, VUKA Marine, and ENGIE, the study identifies the corridor linking Saldanha Bay and Rotterdam as one of the first potential Global South-to-North green shipping routes.

Saldanha Bay is planning ammonia production and port upgrades to support future bunkering operations.

As per the study, initially, ships would likely bunker in Rotterdam, with Saldanha building capacity to become the long-term supply hub.

“This phased approach gives shipowners and fuel producers a clear timeline to work toward,” Shanon Neumann, associate at Freeport Saldanha, said. 

“However, to help Saldanha Bay transition quickly, blending public and private funding can unlock investment in infrastructure and reduce the risks of early projects.”

The study found EU measures such as FuelEU Maritime and the ETS could narrow the cost gap between green ammonia and fossil fuels by over 60%.

“With binding global regulations delayed, there remains a business case for green ammonia on this corridor,” Marieke Beckmann, deputy director at GMF, said. 

“The role of national and local governments becomes increasingly important in incentivising the adoption of scalable zero-emission fuels.”