Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the Japanese conglomerate will work to identify shipping customers, ports and routes that can generate demand for the project at the Port of Dampier.
NH3 will also be positioned as a supply source for Itochu’s planned ammonia bunkering hubs in Japan and Singapore, helping to meet an aggregated 300,000 tonnes per year of demand across Asia-Pacific shipping markets.
Securing credible demand is expected to be one of the biggest hurdles to NH3 taking a final investment decision (FID) on the project in late 2026.
“Itochu have consistently demonstrated its desire to be a leader in the transition of maritime transport to clean ammonia,” NH3 Chairman Charles Whitfield said.
“They have already ordered an ammonia bunkering vessel, plan to undertake the first ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering in Singapore and announced a joint development agreement for ammonia bunkering in Japan.”
The partners will now work through detailed demand aggregation, commercial modelling, and supply chain design as NH3 progresses into front-end engineering and design (FEED) phases.
Alongside Itochu, NH3 has partnered with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and agreed on a joint development agreement (JDA) with Pilbara Ports Authority to secure 7.5 hectares of land to develop WAH2.
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