IHI Corporation and Vopak have signed a joint development agreement for the proposed establishment of a joint venture focused on developing and operating an ammonia terminal in Japan.
The partners aim to launch operations in the Japanese fiscal year 2030, with a focus on building safe and efficient ammonia storage and handling infrastructure. The terminal will support the receiving and storing of imported ammonia, creating a system for stable supply within Japan. Ammonia is expected to play a significant role in Japan’s decarbonisation goals, particularly in power generation and other industrial applications.
In this collaboration, Vopak, a global tank storage and infrastructure company, brings extensive experience in ammonia terminal engineering and operations. IHI Group, Japan’s leading manufacturer of ammonia storage tanks, will focus on developing a clean ammonia value chain.
The project is part of a broader effort to establish an efficient ammonia distribution system, using the terminal as a hub for marine transport, to encourage the adoption of ammonia as a low-carbon energy source.
“We are pleased to observe the continued progress of our collaboration with Vopak toward the development and operation of an ammonia terminal in Japan,” said Kensuke Yamamoto, Executive Officer, Vice President of Business Development Division, and General Manager of Ammonia Value Chain Project Department, IHI Corporation.
“By fully leveraging the combined expertise and advanced technologies of both companies, we aim to contribute to Japan’s energy transition and the realisation of a sustainable society through the establishment of safe and efficient ammonia infrastructure.”
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Lars Schaumann, Managing Director, Vopak Japan, added: “We are very much looking forward to contributing, together with IHI, to the ammonia terminal development in Japan. Vopak’s global growth strategy includes industrial and gas infrastructure, and infrastructure needed for the energy transition. Currently, Vopak has six ammonia storage locations within its global network.”
