Trafigura hails world’s first co-loaded ammonia and propane shipment

Multinational trader Trafigura, in collaboration with CF Industries, the world’s largest producer of ammonia, has completed the world’s first co-loaded ammonia and propane shipment operation of its kind. 

In early January, the Green Power medium gas carrier (MGC) completed a single voyage from the US to Europe loaded with ammonia from CF Industries and with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in separate tanks.

“The ability to co-load low-carbon ammonia with LPG is one pathway to supporting the scale up in availability of low emission fuels,” Trafigura stated in a release. 

Patricio Norris, global head of ammonia and LPG for Trafigura, said: “We can improve the economics for our customers and reduce emissions with fewer voyages by safely co-loading Ammonia and LPG in the same vessel.”

Ammonia was loaded onto the Green Power from CF Industries’ Donaldsonville, Louisiana, manufacturing complex and LPG was loaded into separate tanks of the vessel in Corpus Christi, Texas. Following a review of applicable regulations, permission from the US Coast Guard, a detailed risk assessment and planning with the ports, shipowner and operator Purus and STS company International Fender Providers (IFP), the loadings proceeded.

After crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the LPG was discharged via a ship-to-ship (STS) operation in the Mediterranean for use in domestic heating and the ammonia was discharged at Tees Port for CF Fertilisers UK.