JAPAN’S MITSUI OSK LINES and Belgium’s CMB.TECH, controlled by the Savery family, have established a joint venture to own and charter a total of nine Capesize bulkers and chemical tankers that can run on ammonia.
MOL subsidiary MOL Chemical Tankers Pte Ltd and CMB.TECH will time-charter two ammonia dual-fuel chemical tankers and four ammonia-ready chemical tankers, all to be built by China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Yangzhou) Dinheng Co Ltd for delivery 2028-29, while MOL and CMB.TECH will have joint ownership/time charter of three ammonia duel-fuel Capesize bulkers to be constructed and delivered by CSSC Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Co Ltd in 2026-27.
“Amid the trend toward decarbonization, ammonia is drawing worldwide attention as a next-generation clean energy source, and the ocean shipping industry is accelerating its moves to strategically utilize ammonia as a fuel,” MOL said.
“The MOL Group also intends to adopt ammonia, in its “MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2” to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. MOL will continue to pursue these initiatives and contribute to the realisation of a decarbonised society.”
Along with Fairfield Chemical Carriers, a wholly owned subsidiary of MOLCT, the company has industry’s largest stainless steel tank chemical fleet of more than 110 vessels in service worldwide, transporting a wide variety of liquid chemicals, vegetable oils, animal fats and lubricants. The company employs approximately 410 staff, and operates a total of 12 offices in Tokyo, Copenhagen, London, Rotterdam, Houston, Stanford, Bogota, Dubai, Durban, Busan, and Shanghai, with its headquarters in Singapore.
CMB.TECH describes itself as a diversified and future-proof maritime group. It owns and operates more than 150 seagoing vessels: crude oil tankers, dry bulk vessels, container ships, chemical tankers, offshore wind vessels & workboats. It also offers hydrogen and ammonia fuel to customers, through its own production or third-party producers. The company is headquartered in Antwerp, Belgium, and has offices across Europe, Asia, United States and Africa. CMB.TECH is listed on Euronext Brussels and the NYSE under the ticker symbol CMB.T.
