Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) has completed its first ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of liquefied ammonia, successfully moving 23,000 metric tonnes from the Berlian Ekuator to the Eco Enchanted off the coast of Ceuta, Spain.

On 2 September, NYK carried out its first STS transfer of liquefied ammonia, marking a milestone in its handling of next-generation fuels.

The operation involved the transfer of approximately 23,000 metric tonnes of ammonia from the Berlian Ekuator—owned by NYK and time-chartered by Mitsui & Co., Ltd.—to the Eco Enchanted, operated by ammonia trader Trammo, Inc.

The STS transfer took place offshore near Ceuta, Spain, under strict safety protocols.

While NYK has previous STS experience with crude oil, LNG, and LPG, this was its first involving ammonia.

The operation was supported by Trammo and its specialist provider International Fender Providers Ltd., and was executed using NYK’s internal safety management system and STS expertise.

“We successfully leveraged our advanced safety management system and refined STS operational know-how to safely transfer the entire cargo of liquefied ammonia,” NYK stated.

Ammonia, traditionally used in fertilisers and industrial chemicals, is gaining attention as a zero-carbon fuel due to its ability to combust without producing CO2.

With projected growth in demand, particularly in marine fuel applications, the STS method is being explored as a flexible alternative to conventional land-based handling, offering fewer constraints related to port size or onshore infrastructure.

NYK plans to apply insights from this operation to future ammonia handling and to support the development of safe, scalable supply chains for next-generation fuels.

The company views this initiative as part of its broader contribution toward a decarbonised maritime sector.

Recently, NYK jointly conducted a demonstration project, Project LOTUS, with the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD).