Saudi Arabian mining company Ma’aden has exported its first shipments of low-carbon blue ammonia to China under its agreement with petrochemical producer Shenghong Petrochemicals.
Ma’aden signed the agreement to supply 25,000 tonnes of blue ammonia to Shenghong Petrochemicals and on 18 May the first shipment left Ras Al Khair port.
This was described as a significant milestone for the company’s journey as a green leader, helping key markets across the globe to reduce carbon emissions from supply chains.
The Saudi Arabian company is said to be the world’s largest exporter of blue ammonia, having received certification to produce it in 2022. It is shipping over 138,000 tons of blue ammonia products to the world’s largest markets including Korea, China, Japan, India, Thailand and the European Union, establishing a major footprint in global efforts to green industrial value chains.
According to Ma’aden, its investment in blue ammonia is helping to cut emissions of an essential component in global industrial supply chains, used widely in fertilizer and food production, industrial sectors, and petrochemicals. It also aligns with the country’s Vision 2030 objectives to make mining and minerals the third pillar of the Kingdom’s economy.
In 2022, the mining company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bahri, the national shipping carrier of Saudi Arabia.
At the time, the parties agreed to explore cooperation across various fields, including chartering cargo ships to transport ammonia gas and dry transport needs among others.