Australia-based mining giant Fortescue Future Industries’ (FFI) Chairman Dr Andrew Forrest AO has called for a net zero 2040 target to be embraced by the entire shipping industry during an address for ‘Transport Day’ at COP26, while providing the technical leadership in large shipping to support the target.

FFI’s Green Fleet Team is moving quickly to convert the 75m offshore vessel, the MMA Leveque, in collaboration with MMA Offshore Limited, over the next 12 months so it can run almost totally on green ammonia. The company believes this brings the shipping industry much closer to becoming carbon neutral well before 2040 with only entrenched industry practices slowing global progress of carbon neutral shipping.

The MMA Leveque will run on green fuel and is part of Fortescue Metal Group’s broader fleet of trucks, locomotives and ships all undergoing technical transition to operate on green fuels. No details of the conversion of the vessel have been revealed. The ship is currently powered by four Cummins KTA50-D(M) engines in a diesel electric configuration.