World’s First Commercial Shipment of Accredited Blue Ammonia to Be Dispatched from Saudi Arabia to South Korea

The world’s first commercial shipment of independently certified blue ammonia will be dispatched from Saudi Arabia to Ulsan, South Korea, in November, representing a new milestone in the development of decarbonization solutions.

The shipment of blue ammonia, which is expected to reach its destination in December on SABIC Agri-Nutrients’ vessel, Seasurfer, is a low-carbon alternative to conventional grey ammonia, and is part of a collaboration between SABIC Agri-Nutrients and Aramco spanning the entire value chain. It will be received by Lotte Fine Chemical (LFC), which has a long-standing relationship with SABIC AN.

The full-tank shipment will consist of about 25 KMT of accredited “cradle to gates” blue ammonia.
Abdulrahman Shamsaddin, SABIC Agri-Nutrients CEO, said: “This shipment is another milestone in our journey toward carbon neutrality. We are proud of being 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 Agri-Nutrients 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. In 2020, Aramco and SABIC produced and delivered the world's first shipment of blue ammonia, from Saudi Arabia to Japan.

SABIC Agri-Nutrients and Aramco are collaborating in the low-carbon hydrogen space and developing solutions to serve different applications in the energy, fertilizer, and chemicals sectors.