Nanjing, China — 5,000 tonnes of green ammonia produced by the Songyuan Hydrogen Industrial Park, an integrated green hydrogen-ammonia-methanol project also known as China Energy Engineering Corporation (CEEC)’s “Qingqing No. 1” Project, has arrived safely at Nanjing Port.

The shipment will be transported by Shenghang Yongle, the world’s first vessel specially equipped for liquid-ammonia fuel bunkering, to an anchorage off Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province. There, it will support what is described as the world’s first ship-to-ship green ammonia bunkering operation for an ocean-going vessel.

The operation marks the first time China’s marine green ammonia fuel supply chain has been connected end to end, covering production, storage, transportation and bunkering.

Widely recognised as a zero-carbon alternative fuel for international shipping, green ammonia offers high energy density and benefits from well-established storage and transportation infrastructure. When combusted, it produces nitrogen and water, making it a potential pathway toward near-zero lifecycle carbon emissions. Green ammonia is increasingly regarded as one of the key decarbonisation options for deep-sea shipping.

Based on CEEC’s proprietary integrated “Qingqing No. 1” hydrogen solution, the Songyuan Project addresses the challenge of matching intermittent wind and solar power generation with the continuous and stable operation required by chemical production.

The project uses renewable electricity from wind and solar power to produce green hydrogen through water electrolysis. The hydrogen is then converted into green ammonia through a flexible ammonia synthesis process, enabling intermittent renewable energy to be transformed into a zero-carbon fuel suitable for long-term storage and long-distance transportation.

The shipped green ammonia has obtained EU ISCC EU sustainability certification issued by Bureau Veritas, enabling it to meet sustainability and carbon-reduction requirements in the international marine fuel market.

Phase I of the Songyuan Project officially entered operation in December 2025. The project is designed to produce 45,000 tonnes of green hydrogen and 200,000 tonnes of green ammonia and green methanol annually. It is expected to save approximately 600,000 tonnes of standard coal and reduce CO₂ emissions by 740,000 tonnes each year.

As a national-level demonstration project, the facility integrates renewable energy generation, green hydrogen production, hydrogen-based chemical manufacturing and green fuel exports.

Since commissioning, the ammonia synthesis unit has reached an operating load of 80%, with daily green ammonia production exceeding 500 tonnes. The green ammonia will be supplied on an ongoing basis to ammonia-fuelled dual-fuel vessels operated by CMB.TECH, providing practical experience for the development of regular, large-scale green ammonia supply for international shipping.

Compiled from：Science and Technology Daily