Air Products and Yara Advance Talks for Low-Carbon Ammonia Supply Chain

by Kash
Air Products and Yara Ammonia Projects

Oslo, Norway | December 8, 2025 – In a move that solidifies low-emission ammonia’s role as the indispensable carrier for global clean energy, Air Products, industrial gas giant, and agricultural powerhouse Yara International have announced advanced negotiations on two landmark projects, effectively creating a transatlantic supply chain for decarbonized marine fuel and industrial feedstock.

The planned partnership—linking Air Products’ massive low-carbon initiatives in the U.S. Gulf Coast and the NEOM Green Hydrogen Project in Saudi Arabia with Yara’s unparalleled global ammonia network—is set to accelerate the availability and reliability of clean ammonia for both the maritime and industrial customers.

The Cornerstone: $8-9 Billion Louisiana Clean Energy Complex

The most immediate strategic focus is the development of the Louisiana Clean Energy Complex, a project of immense scale and complexity designed to become the world’s largest low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia facility.

  • Massive Scale and Deep Decarbonization: The complex is engineered to produce over 750 million standard cubic feet per day of low-carbon hydrogen, while capturing a staggering 95% of the CO2 generated during operation. Approximately five million tonnes of high-purity CO2 per year will be sequestered via a third-party agreement.
  • The Partnership Model: Air Products will lead the project development, owning and operating the industrial gas production facilities. Crucially, Yara would acquire the ammonia production, storage, and shipping facilities for roughly 25% of the total estimated project cost ($8-9 billion), integrating the entire output into its global distribution system.
  • The Offtake: Air Products would supply 80% of the low-carbon hydrogen to Yara under a 25-year long-term agreement to yield 2.8 million tonnes of low-carbon ammonia per year.

This structure—leveraging Air Products’ capital efficiency in hydrogen production and Yara’s expertise in ammonia logistics and market reach—is a blueprint for future large-scale clean energy partnerships. Final Investment Decisions (FIDs) are targeted for mid-2026, with completion expected by 2030.

NEOM: Unlocking the World’s First Renewable Ammonia Supply

The collaboration extends to the NEOM Green Hydrogen Project in Saudi Arabia, which is nearing 90% completion and is slated to begin commercial production in 2027. This facility is set to produce up to 1.2 million tonnes of renewable ammonia annually.

Under the anticipated marketing and distribution agreement, Yara would commercialize, on a commission basis, the renewable ammonia not sold by Air Products as renewable hydrogen in Europe. This deal is targeted for the first half of 2026.

This arrangement is particularly critical for the bunkering sector:

  1. It maximizes the reach of the world’s first large-scale green ammonia supply.
  2. It utilizes Yara’s 12 ammonia vessels and 18 import terminals to establish an immediate, unparalleled global distribution capability for the zero-carbon fuel.
Executive Commentary on the Strategic Alliance

The significance of this large-scale collaboration was underscored by statements from the leadership of both organizations, highlighting the strategic alignment and expected value creation.

We are pleased to be working with Yara, the world’s leading fertilizer company, as we advance the global low-emission ammonia market and maximize value from our projects in Louisiana and Saudi Arabia,” said Air Products’ Chief Executive Officer, Eduardo Menezes.

The agreement is viewed by Yara as a highly synergistic and capital-efficient move that secures their future supply of low-emission feedstock and marine fuel.

Air Products’ two advanced projects are a strong strategic fit with Yara’s flexible nitrogen system – enabling energy diversification and profitable decarbonization while aligning with our disciplined capital allocation policy. The Louisiana project builds on a proven, capital-efficient model; producing ammonia from externally sourced hydrogen and delivering strong returns,” said Yara’s CEO Svein Tore Holsether.

Driving the Ammonia Bunkering Future

The combined capacity from these two sites, totaling nearly 4 million tonnes of low-emission ammonia annually, is an answer to the rapidly increasing demand for clean marine fuels driven by both regulatory mandates (like IMO 2020) and growing industry commitments to net-zero shipping.

Ammonia, as a hydrogen carrier, is emerging as one of the most viable long-term zero-carbon solutions for deep-sea shipping. The partnership specifically addresses the supply challenge by connecting production at scale with market distribution, particularly in Europe, where both internal demand at Yara and external customer needs are soaring.

The alliance merges Air Products’ global leadership in hydrogen technology and large-scale project development with Yara’s position as the world’s largest trader and shipper of ammonia, currently moving over four million metric tonnes per year. This synergy is designed to not only meet but drive the increasing momentum toward low-emission ammonia for energy use worldwide.

About Air Products

Air Products (NYSE: APD) is a world-leading industrial gases company in operation for over 80 years focused on serving energy, environmental, and emerging markets and generating a cleaner future. The Company supplies essential industrial gases, related equipment and applications expertise to customers in dozens of industries, including refining, chemicals, metals, and manufacturing.

As the leading global supplier of hydrogen, Air Products develops, engineers, builds, owns and operates some of the world’s largest clean hydrogen projects, supporting the transition to low- and zero-carbon energy in the industrial and heavy-duty transportation sectors. With fiscal 2025 sales of $12.0 billion from operations in approximately 50 countries, Air Products is a key global player in the large-scale production of low-emission hydrogen and ammonia.

About Yara International ASA

Yara International (OSE: YAR) is a world-leading crop nutrition and ammonia company with a mission to responsibly feed the world and protect the planet. Yara pursues a strategy of sustainable value growth through reducing emissions from crop nutrition production and developing low-emission energy solutions. To drive the green shift in fertilizer production, shipping, and other energy intensive industries, Yara is focused on producing ammonia with significantly lower emissions.

As the world’s largest trader and shipper of ammonia, transporting over four million metric tonnes annually, Yara possesses critical infrastructure—including 12 ammonia vessels and 18 import terminals, that is essential for scaling the global distribution of low-emission marine fuels and industrial feedstocks. In 2024, Yara reported revenues of USD $13.9 billion.

Source: Yara International ASA

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