SABIC and Aramco's First Blue Ammonia Shipment Arrives In South Korea

The world’s first commercial shipment of certified clean blue ammonia has arrived in South Korea from Saudi Arabia. Vessel Seasurfer carrying the 25,000 metric tonnes of low-carbon “cradle-to-gate” blue ammonia docked in Ulsan on Wednesday.

It had left Saudi Arabia’s King Fahad Industrial Port at Jubail in the last week of November. This accomplishment is a milestone for a low-carbon alternative to conventional grey ammonia.

This is part of a collaboration between SABIC Agri-Nutrients (SABIC AN) and Aramco, spanning the entire value chain. Lotte Fine Chemical (LFC), which has a long-standing relationship with SABIC AN, will receive the full-tank accredited as low-carbon “cradle to gate” blue ammonia.

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As announced during the recent Saudi Green Initiative conference in Sharm Elsheikh, 50-kmt of blue ammonia shipped from Saudi Arabia to South Korea, represents a new milestone in the development of decarbonization solutions.

Abdulrahman Shamsaddin, SABIC AN CEO, said: “This shipment is another milestone in our journey toward carbon neutrality. We are proud to be a part of this pioneering solution, paving the way for further decarbonization efforts.

"Looking to the future, we are constantly working on breakthrough solutions to decarbonize our assets and deliver low-carbon solutions to our customers.”

Yong Suk Kim, LFC CEO, said: "We are delighted to enter this meaningful agreement with our long-term supplier, SABIC Agri-Nutrients, to receive the world’s first certified blue ammonia cargo.

"Building on our shared history, we are looking forward to moving forward together into a new era for ammonia. We believe that this shipment of blue ammonia will help lay the foundations for a global supply chain."

Earlier this year, SABIC AN and Aramco received the world’s first independent certifications recognizing blue ammonia and blue hydrogen production from TÜV Rheinland, a leading independent testing, inspection and certification agency, based in Germany.

The shipment of blue ammonia to South Korea will be the first to capitalize on this major certification achievement.

These developments are aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, which lays emphasis on low-carbon fuels, products, solutions and clean energy.

SABIC AN and Aramco are collaborating in the low-carbon hydrogen space and ammonia to develop solutions to serve various applications in the energy, fertilizer, and chemicals sectors.

Read More: SABIC Gains World’s First Independent Certification for Blue Hydrogen