SABIC ships world’s first commercial accredited low-carbon blue ammonia to South Korea

SABIC subsidiary SABIC Agri-Nutrient (AN) has achieved a new milestone in the development of decarbonisation solutions by shipping 25,000 tonnes of blue ammonia from Saudi Arabia to South Korea, representing a new milestone in the development of decarbonisation solutions.

“Vessel Seasurfer, carrying 25,000 of this independently certified low-carbon “cradle-to-gate” blue ammonia, is expected to reach its destination between December 9 and 13, marking the world’s first commercial shipment of its kind,” SABIC AN wrote in a statement.

Seoul-headquartered Lotte Fine Chemical (LFC), which has a long-standing relationship with SABIC AN, will receive the full-tank accredited as low-carbon “cradle to gate” blue ammonia, the statement noted.

“This accomplishment, representing a remarkable milestone for a low-carbon alternative to conventional grey ammonia, is part of a collaboration between SABIC Agri-Nutrients (SABIC AN) and Aramco, spanning the entire value chain,” SABIC AN said.

Commenting on the development, Abdulrahman Shamsaddin, SABIC AN CEO, said, “This shipment is another milestone in our journey toward carbon neutrality. We are proud to be a 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.”

Earlier this year, SABIC AN 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 capitalise on this major certification achievement.

These developments are aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, which lays emphasis on low-carbon fuels, products, solutions, and clean energy.

SABIC AN and Aramco are collaborating in the low-carbon hydrogen space and ammonia to develop solutions to serve various applications in the energy, fertiliser, and chemicals sectors.

According to 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.”