OCI Global and Victrol have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop a safe, scalable and commercially viable supply chain for clean ammonia bunkering in the Netherlands and Belgium. This strategic collaboration marks an important step in accelerating the decarbonization of the maritime industry.
Under the terms of the collaboration, OCI’s subsidiary OCI Ammonia Distribution B.V. will lead the sourcing and import of clean ammonia – both blue and green – from key global production hubs in the US, Middle East, North Africa, and Asia. The molecules will be transported by sea-going vessels to the OCI Terminal Europoort (OTE) ammonia import terminal in the Port of Rotterdam, where they will be safely stored, distributed, and made available for use as marine fuel. OCI is concurrently building partnerships with a growing network of shipowners and end-users who will adopt ammonia as a clean fuel for their fleets.
Meanwhile, Victrol will design, build, and operate a liquid ammonia bunker barge. This critical piece of infrastructure will load refrigerated ammonia at OCI’s terminal and deliver it directly to ships in the ports, as well as to inland industrial off-takers. With decades of expertise in barging and bunkering operations, VICTROL will ensure safe and reliable last-mile delivery to vessels that will consume ammonia as a low- or zero-carbon fuel.
Both companies are working closely with the Port of Rotterdam and the relevant authorities to ensure all safety and regulatory frameworks are in place on time. The partnership builds on the port’s first-ever successful ammonia ship-to-ship bunkering pilot in April 2025, a significant milestone that raised Rotterdam’s readiness for ammonia fuel to level 7 under the International Port Readiness framework.
Matthijs van Doorn, vice president commercial at Port of Rotterdam Authority says: ‘The port of Rotterdam is preparing for a multi-fuel future to decarbonize global shipping, with ammonia
as one of the future fuels. It is great to see this strategic partnership develop after the successful ammonia bunkering pilot in April 2025, where both OCI and Victrol also played an important role. Such collaborations are instrumental to create safe and sustainable supply chains and are key for Rotterdam to advance its preparedness for ammonia bunkering.’
