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
Also in this section
12 May 2025
The sector needs a standard covering hydrogen quality for the entire value chain, but no single hydrogen quality covers the needs of all stakeholders
9 May 2025
Hydrogen quality is an increasingly important area for the sector. Though well-established standards are in place, they typically cover only certain parts of assets and value chain
6 May 2025
European Commission backs hydrogen as best option to decarbonise steel sector, but questions remain over technology choices and funding
2 May 2025
Projects will progress only if they are backed by firm offtake deals, with much of firm’s clean hydrogen portfolio underperforming, Eduardo F. Menezes tells investors
