Australia’s Pilbara Ports Authority on Friday (26 June) confirmed progress of its plans for the first ammonia bunkering trial at the Port of Port Hedland later this year. On its website, the port authority said ammonia-fuelled vessels are expected to begin visiting Pilbara as early as this year. This comes following Fortescue and CMB.TECH announcing their landmark agreement to introduce dual-fuelled ammonia bulk-carriers to the Pilbara, a significant milestone in accelerating the transition to low-carbon shipping. The port authority said the announcement reflects the growing global momentum behind ammonia as a marine fuel and the collective effort across industry to decarbonise supply chains. On 22 June, Fortescue said it signed an agreement with CMB.TECH for the charter of up to 12 ammonia-capable vessels. Under the agreement, Fortescue will charter a fleet of 12 Newcastlemax dry bulk vessels (210,000 dwt) from Bocimar, CMB.TECH’s dry bulk shipping operator. Up to three of the vessels will be delivered with dual-fuel ammonia engines and are expected to enter service by the end of 2026. The remaining nine vessels will be ammonia-ready and can be converted to operate on ammonia in the future. “At Pilbara Ports, we’re proud to be supporting this transition, with plans progressing for our first ammonia refuelling trial at the Port of Port Hedland later this year,” the port authority said. “This work will help ensure the Pilbara is ready – with the infrastructure, safety frameworks and operational capability needed to support the next generation of cleaner vessels.”   Photo credit: Pilbara Ports Authority Published: 29 June, 2026