Magazine: 402 Jul-Aug 2026

Rail, road, ship or pipelines all bring different benefits and risks to long distance transport of ammonia, but the fundamentals of ammonia safety remain a constant.

The Ukraine war and associated tariffs and the EU’s carbon pricing system are keeping ammonium nitrate prices high.

The signing of a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran on June 17th has provided relief across most markets as both sides agreed to allow ships to transit the Strait of Hormuz, at least in terms of trapped vessels from the Gulf being able to exit.

Engro Fertilizers Ltd has appointed Imran Ahmed as its new CEO, following approval by the company’s board of directors. He succeeds former CEO Ali Rathore. He achieved record urea production and better operational performance during his tenure, despite gas supply constraints, inflationary pressures and agriculture sector challenges. Engro is one of Pakistan’s leading fertilizer manufacturers, operating major production plants in Daharki and Port Qasim. It is widely recognised domestically for its flagship Zarkhez and Zingro fertilizer brands.

Ammonia values have continued to ease across most regions at the end of June, as the first ammonia vessels begin to exit the Gulf since the Iranian conflict began. Iranian ammonia had also begun to flow to India following the US Treasury’s issuance of a 60-day sanctions waiver on 22 June, allowing dollar-denominated trade in Iranian petrochemical products through 21 August. As a result, Indian bids have been heard as low as $750/t c.fr, as buyers benefit from a widening pool of available supply - Iranian, Chinese and renewed Southeast Asian material are all competing for the same business.

• Ammonia prices are expected to maintain their current downward trajectory, with the pace of correction likely to accelerate as the supply picture improves. Confirmed trades at materially lower levels remain limited, but the direction of sentiment is clearly softer.

A round-up of current and proposed projects involving non-nitrogen synthesis gas derivatives, including methanol, synthetic/substitute natural gas (SNG) and gas- and coal to liquids (GTL/CTL) plants.

Axens has signed an agreement with Air Liquide to acquire its methanol to olefins technology portfolio, including the Lurgi Methanol-to-Propylene ™ process. The company says that this addition expands its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) portfolio through Axens’ Jetanol ® process chain, offering its customers an end-to-end solution for SAF production through the methanol to jet pathway (MTJ).

Petrobras PBR has said that it plans to restart construction of the long-delayed UFN-III fertilizer plant in Três Lagoas, Mato Grosso do Sul, with work at the site expected to resume by September. UFN-III, with a planned capacity of 2,200 t/d of ammonia and 3,600 t/d of urea, was partially completed in the 2010s, but the site has been inactive and unfinished since 2015. Petrobras now intends to complete the project with an estimated investment of $1 billion, targeting commercial operations by 2029. The site was chosen as it was strategically positioned near several of Brazil’s largest agribusiness regions, including Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás, Paraná and São Paulo.

The government of Kazakhstan says that the country will build its first ammonia-urea plant at Aktau, in the Mangistau region, with a total investment cost put at $1.6 billion.The Kazakh Industry and Construction Ministry and KazAzot PRIME have signed an investment agreement for the construction of the complex, with commissioning scheduled for 2030. Plant capacity is expected to be 660,000 t/a of ammonia, 580,000 t/a of urea and 500,000 t/a of ammonium nitrate. The government says that the plant will reduce import dependence, supply domestic farmers, and strengthen export potential. By 2030, Kazakhstan’s ammonia production capacity is projected to reach 2.3 million t/a, ensuring self-sufficiency and export growth.