Mitsui and its subsidiary Mitsui Chemicals have signed a memorandum of understanding with IHI Corporation and The Kansai Electric Power Co to study the feasibility of the establishment of an ammonia and hydrogen-from-ammonia supply chain around the Osaka coastal industrial zone.

The four companies are a good match – Mitsui currently is the largest importer of ammonia into Japan and its subsidiary produces chemical products, while IHI produces heavy engineering products and equipment in the shipping and power sectors, and Kansai Electric operates energy businesses in the region. The ultimate aim of the cooperation is to pivot to clean energy and industry using ammonia, given “that the technologies for production, transportation, and storage of ammonia for fertilizer and industrial applications have already been established”.

As the press release does not specify the ‘colour’ of ammonia that would be used in a fully-established supply chain, one could presume that at least to begin with, the participants would be agnostic regarding it.