The roots of new ammonia bunkering venture Azane Fuel Solutions lie in shared studies in Norway a decade ago.
Andre Risholm, chief executive of Amon Maritime, and ECONNECT Energy's chief innovation officer Stian Magnusson were both at Norwegian University of Science and Technology and have kept in touch since.
When Risholm, a former newbuilding manager at DOF Group, started his company in 2019, it was natural to get some advice from ECONNECT, which was formed straight out of university in 2012.
The CEO said: "We always had some communication around their company and how that was going. They are experts in gas and fluids."
Risholm said serious dialogue about Azane started last autumn, with cooperation beginning in January.
"We have worked hard together since then," Risholm told TradeWinds.
The two sides viewed a separate company as the best way to take advantage of a potentially lucrative market.
Already thinking beyond LNG
Technology company ECONNECT's CEO Morten Christophersen said his company was already examining working more actively towards clean fuels like ammonia and hydrogen, after starting with LNG.
"We have always worked very closely with other industrial players and not been running around alone," he added.
"It was a great match with Amon from the get-go," the ECONNECT boss said. "It was very natural for us to marry for the long-run."
Azane is a pure-play ammonia company, but ECONNECT can think more broadly about other clean fuels.
Asked about the possibility of working with hydrogen, Christophersen said: "I'm a strong believer in ammonia.
"A lot of potential customers are coming to us in the hydrogen space and saying it's so challenging just to transport and store liquid hydrogen that they are forced into using ammonia for distribution in the hydrogen value chain," he added.
The ammonia bunkering project will overcome significant research and development challenges, the companies pledged.
Considering the pioneering nature of the endeavour, Azane is seeking the necessary financial support from green governmental grants.
