Saudi-Japan hydrogen cargo may herald major trade route

Saudi Arabia has big plans for hydrogen, and its recent shipment of blue ammonia to Japan looks like a sign of things to come

As hydrogen gains traction around the world, it is beginning to reshape strategic relations in the oil industry. In late September, the first shipment of blue ammonia set sale from Saudi Arabia headed for Japan, a country reliant on imports for more than 90pc of its primary energy supply. The cargo is part of a supply network demonstration project between Saudi Aramco and the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ) in partnership with Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Corp. While the volume is small, at 40t, it is a significant step and is seen by many as heralding a major shift towards the growth of the circular carbon economy. Groundwork complete The project is the culmination of plans la