Africa’s green ammonia to fuel Europe shipping corridor from 2029

From the newsletter

The African continent is emerging as a key player in maritime decarbonisation, with green ammonia set to fuel a new shipping corridor to Europe. A new Global Maritime Forum report finds the South Africa–Europe iron‑ore route could deploy green ammonia‑powered carriers from 2029, achieving full decarbonisation by 2035.

• The corridor, connecting Saldanha Bay in South Africa to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, is expected to be powered by green ammonia produced in South Africa, which could competitively meet the corridor’s fuel requirements.

• While the carriers might bunker green ammonia in Rotterdam in the early years, the report notes that Saldanha is well-positioned to become the long-term bunkering hub for the corridor.

More details

• Published by the international maritime non-profit Global Maritime Forum, the study was produced in collaboration with a consortium established in 2023 comprising Anglo American, CMB.TECH, Freeport Saldanha, VUKA Marine and ENGIE. If successful, the initiative would see the corridor linking Saldanha Bay in South Africa’s Western Cape to the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands become one of the first Global South to North green shipping routes.

• According to the report, green ammonia-fuelled vessels would initially bunker in Rotterdam, which already has the necessary infrastructure. Over time, Saldanha Bay is expected to develop its own bunkering capacity and emerge as the production zone for green ammonia and the corridor’s primary fuel hub. By 2035, the port could supply bunkering services to all corridor vessels locally, creating a dual-purpose facility supporting both mineral exports and international green shipping.

• Home to South Africa’s main iron ore export terminal, Saldanha Bay is already planning ammonia production facilities and port upgrades to handle bunkering operations. Announced green hydrogen projects near Boegoebaai and Saldanha in South Africa as well as Walvis Bay in neighbouring Namibia could meet the corridor’s projected fuel demand, including a high-demand scenario of 22 bulk carriers per year by 2035.

• With both the World Bank and the World Economic Forum identifying South Africa as a potential key player in shipping decarbonisation, the green corridor could help turn this vision into reality. Beyond emissions reduction, it presents an opportunity to strengthen the country’s export competitiveness, future-proof a strategic port and support the Just Energy Transition through local value chains, skills development and community benefits.

• The Global Maritime Forum outlines a roadmap to make the corridor operational by 2029. This includes creating an enabling contracting environment to fairly allocate risks and rewards across the value chain, engaging government and industry stakeholders to build awareness and policy support, and mobilising funding and incentives for corridor infrastructure that will underpin Saldanha’s hydrogen hub and port development.

• While the Saldanha–Rotterdam route is the most advanced proposal, it is unlikely to remain Africa’s only potential green shipping corridor. Across the continent, ports with access to renewable energy resources and export infrastructure are beginning to position themselves for future green maritime trade.

• On the continent’s west coast, Namibia’s Walvis Bay is emerging as a frontrunner and is cited as a potential enabler of the Saldanha–Rotterdam corridor, linked to the growing number of green hydrogen projects in the area. The port’s proximity to several large‑scale hydrogen and ammonia developments also positions it as a future link to Europe through the Atlantic. Boegoebaai in South Africa’s Northern Cape, another port identified by the government as a strategic hydrogen export site, could likewise serve future green shipping routes to Asia or the Middle East.

• In North Africa, Morocco’s Atlantic ports such as Tangier Med and Dakhla are exploring partnerships with European counterparts under EU‑Africa green‑energy frameworks. Their proximity to Europe and access to strong wind resources make them logical candidates for early corridor development. Further south and east, ports in the Horn of Africa, including Djibouti and Kenya, are being considered for potential corridors tied to emerging green ammonia and hydrogen production. These routes could eventually connect to the Middle East and Asia’s clean‑energy markets.

Our take

• If realised, the South Africa–Europe green corridor could position South Africa as a leader while providing a model for other African peers, showing how the continent can leverage green hydrogen to decarbonise shipping and strengthen regional competitiveness.

• The growing momentum around green corridors indicates that Africa’s maritime future could be shaped by multiple low-emission routes, connecting the continent to global trade networks while driving investment and infrastructure development.

• Coordinated investment, port upgrades and regional policy alignment will be crucial to turn these emerging possibilities into operational, commercially viable pathways for zero-emission shipping.