Singapore-based ITOCHU Corporation has made a significant move towards sustainable shipping by ordering a 5,000m3 ammonia bunkering vessel from Sasaki Shipbuilding and an ammonia tank from Izumi Steel Works. This groundbreaking vessel is set to become the world’s first newbuilding ammonia bunkering vessel and will be flagged under the Singapore Registry, with an expected delivery date in September 2027.

The deals were finalized by Clean Ammonia Bunkering Shipping (CABS), a wholly owned subsidiary of ITOCHU. CABS has also secured a financing agreement with The Hiroshima Bank to support the purchase of the vessel.

Ammonia is gaining traction as a zero-emission marine fuel, and ammonia bunkering vessels are becoming crucial components in the fuel supply chain. ITOCHU aims to establish an offshore bunkering operation for ammonia through ship-to-ship transfer. The company plans to connect clean ammonia producers with ammonia-fueled vessels and commercialize its ammonia bunkering business not only in Singapore but also in key maritime hubs such as Spain (Strait of Gibraltar), Egypt (Suez Canal), and Japan.

ITOCHU’s initiative is expected to boost Japan’s shipbuilding industry’s competitiveness. The construction of the vessel aligns with the “Demonstration Project for Bunkering Ammonia as Marine Fuel in Singapore” project, which was selected by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry as part of the Global South Future-oriented Co-Creation Project’s second public solicitation, focusing on large-scale demonstrations in ASEAN member states.