Anglo American on Thursday announced that its newly launched LNG dual-fuelled Capesize+ vessel, the Ubuntu Harmony, had loaded its first cargo of iron ore from its Kumba operations in South Africa.
The vessel completed bunkering in Singapore in early January with LNG provided by Shell Eastern LNG. It arrived in Saldanha Bay, South Africa on January 19 to load a full cargo of iron ore that would be transported to customers in China, Anglo said.
“The vessel is the first of ten LNG dual-fuelled new-build ships that Anglo American will introduce to its chartered fleet during the course of 2023 and 2024, delivering an estimated 35% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to ships fuelled by conventional marine oil fuel,” the firm said.
Anglo said the Ubuntu Harmony would be followed by its sister ship, Ubuntu Equality, the fleet’s second vessel, which was expected to load her first cargo in February in South Africa.
“The use of LNG will also lead to a significant reduction of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter from vessel exhausts, while new technology also eliminates the release of unburnt methane,” it said.
Anglo’s investment in a fleet of LNG-fuelled capesize+ vessels was first announced in 2020 and it said at the time, its chartered fleet moved more than 70 million tonnes of metals and minerals per year.
The Ubuntu fleet is a key component of Anglo American’s ambition to achieve carbon-neutrality for its controlled ocean freight by 2040 – with an interim target to reduce emissions from these activities by 30% by 2030 – all part of Anglo American’s wider ambition to halve Scope 3 emissions by 2040.
Peter Whitcutt, the CEO of Anglo American’s marketing business, said: “We are proud to see the Ubuntu Harmony begin its voyage transporting future-enabling products from our mines to our customers around the world. This milestone cements our vision to be a leader in low carbon shipping, a natural extension of our commitment to achieve carbon neutrality across our operations by 2040.”
Nolitha Fakude, the chairperson of Anglo American’s management board in South Africa, said: “The metals and minerals we provide play an important role in helping key industries decarbonise. Transporting them in a sustainable way is a key part of this effort and the introduction of the Ubuntu fleet – named after the Zulu word meaning ‘humanity to others’ – helps us accelerate our transition to sustainable ocean freight.”
Anglo American said it had established a comprehensive framework of initiatives for the decarbonisation of its maritime activities, including energy saving devices fitted to existing vessels, the use of voyage optimisation software, and a focus on exploring, trialling and adopting alternative, sustainable fuel options – such as LNG, sustainable biofuel, green methanol and ammonia, and – further down the line – hydrogen.
Anglo American is a signatory of the Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonisation, calling for decisive government action to enable full decarbonisation of international shipping by 2050.
As a partner of the Global Maritime Forum, Anglo American was a founding signatory and an architect of the Sea Cargo Charter – created by some of the world’s largest energy, agriculture, mining, and commodity trading companies.
BUSINESS REPORT