Rotterdam, Netherlands – June 2025 — In a landmark moment for the maritime fuel sector and the global green energy transition, the Green Hydrogen Organisation (GH2), in partnership with Australian green energy leader Fortescue and digital commodity registry provider Trovio, has successfully completed the world’s first digitally certified ammonia-to-ship fuel transfer. This historic pilot took place at the Port of Rotterdam, involving the Fortescue Green Pioneer, the first ocean-going, dual-fuelled vessel powered by ammonia.
At the core of this groundbreaking initiative was the issuance of a digital fuel certificate through Trovio’s CorTenX registry platform. The certificate provides a tamper-proof digital record of the sustainability and origin attributes of the green ammonia used in the transfer. It is the first time such an advanced, end-to-end traceability system has been deployed for a ship-to-ship transfer of alternative marine fuels.
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Digital Verification for a Greener Future
“This pilot proves how CorTenX can serve as the backbone for a scalable and interoperable registry system that empowers the green fuel transition,” said Jon Deane, CEO of Trovio. “By digitising the fuel lifecycle and enabling automated compliance, we reduce friction, increase integrity, and accelerate global adoption of zero-emission fuels.”
The CorTenX platform captured detailed data during the ammonia bunkering operation, including fuel origin, handling methods, and logistical specifics. These datasets are cryptographically secured and can be accessed by regulators, auditors, and third-party verifiers—offering unparalleled transparency, auditability, and trust in green fuel claims.
A Turning Point for Maritime Decarbonisation
The operation comes just months after the International Maritime Organization (IMO) agreed on mandatory emissions limits and global GHG pricing for shipping—a decisive moment that signaled to green fuel producers that the market is now ready for low-carbon alternatives.
“Green fuel producers have received an important signal to supply the industry,” said Jonas Moberg, CEO of GH2. “It is essential that systems are put in place not only to capture the volumes but also the key environmental attributes of fuels such as e-ammonia made from renewables. The recent pilot shows we are ready to record those attributes as soon as the fuels start being delivered to ships.”
Pioneering Ammonia as a Marine Fuel
Fortescue, which led the physical transfer operation, has taken a bold step forward in shaping both the physical and digital infrastructure required for decarbonised shipping.
“This pilot marks a key step in scaling the infrastructure required for zero-emission fuels,” said Andrew Hoare, Head of Green Shipping at Fortescue. “As the first company to complete an ammonia-to-ship fuel transfer with full digital certification, Fortescue is not only advancing the physical deployment of green fuels but also setting new benchmarks for transparency and traceability.”
He emphasized that digital systems like CorTenX are critical in meeting future regulatory standards, aligning with stakeholders, and supporting emissions accounting—particularly for Scope 1 and Scope 3 emissions.
Beyond Fuel: The Role of Digital Infrastructure
While much attention has been given to the engineering and safety aspects of ammonia as a fuel, this pilot demonstrates that digital certification infrastructure is equally vital in enabling green fuel scale-up.
CorTenX records end-to-end supply chain data, including:
- Port and vessel details
- Time-stamped fuel transfer events
- Verified sustainability metrics aligned with the Green Hydrogen Standard, IMO rules, national government frameworks, and voluntary market schemes
The platform also supports mass balance tracking methodologies, making it possible to monitor chain-of-custody across multiple stakeholders. This is essential not only for emissions reporting but also for claims issuance in carbon credit markets and ESG reporting.
Setting a New Standard for Green Marine Fuels
CorTenX’s API-first, interoperable, and secure registry architecture is already trusted by governments and institutional partners around the world. Through this pilot, it has demonstrated its ability to bridge the gap between sustainability ambition and operational execution—marking a new era for how the maritime sector tracks and verifies alternative fuels.
As the world accelerates toward a net-zero shipping industry, the successful bunkering and certification of green ammonia at Rotterdam positions the Port, and the partners involved, at the forefront of maritime decarbonisation.
About Trovio
Trovio is a technology company specializing in enterprise-grade registry and traceability solutions for environmental and commodity markets. Headquartered in the Asia-Pacific region, Trovio provides digital infrastructure to support the secure tracking, certification, and verification of assets such as carbon credits, renewable energy, biodiversity, and green fuel supply chains.
Trovio’s platform is actively used by government agencies, financial institutions, and commodity participants to meet compliance obligations and sustainability goals. The company is a key technology partner to the Australian Federal Government and supports initiatives across guarantee of origin schemes and environmental certification frameworks.
Trovio’s CorTenX platform played a central role in the issuance of the world’s first digital fuel certificate for an ammonia-to-ship transfer, underscoring its growing role in enabling data-driven transparency and accountability in the energy transition.
About Fortescue
Fortescue is a proud West Australian company renowned for its culture, values, innovation, and industry-leading development of infrastructure and mining assets. As one of the world’s lowest-cost iron ore producers, we are currently shipping over 180 million tonnes annually and have delivered more than 1.7 billion tonnes of iron ore to their customers since 2008.
Through the green energy and technology subsidiary, Fortescue Future Industries (FFI), Fortescue are rapidly evolving into an integrated global green energy and resources company. Fortescue ambitious targets include achieving carbon neutrality for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 and net zero Scope 3 emissions by 2040.
About the Green Hydrogen Organisation (GH2)
The Green Hydrogen Organisation is a global non-profit dedicated to advancing the production and use of green hydrogen. Founded in 2021, GH2 collaborates with governments, financial institutions, and private sector leaders to drive green hydrogen adoption in sectors like fertiliser, shipping fuel, and green steel. GH2 also acts as the secretariat for the Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance (AGHA) and is a founding member of the Global Renewables Alliance (GRA).
Source Green Hydrogen Organisation