China opens direct ammonia shipping route to Morocco

The Arlon departed Nanjing on October 13, creating a new maritime link for a key fertilizer ingredient.

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A vessel carrying liquid ammonia has begun a direct route from China to Morocco.
This shipment supports OCP's strategy to secure raw materials amid rising global input costs.

The vessel Arlon left Nanjing on October 13 with 30,000 tonnes of liquid ammonia bound for Morocco, establishing a direct sea lane for this essential fertilizer component. Hespress English reported that the ship finished loading at the Jiangsu Andefu Energy Supply Chain terminal on October 10. The journey spans over 10,000 nautical miles, crossing the Indian Ocean and passing the Cape of Good Hope. The specific Moroccan buyer and arrival port remain unnamed in the report.

This delivery is Andefu’s initial direct ammonia shipment to North Africa, though Morocco had already sourced the chemical from China previously. Hespress English cited customs data showing Morocco received 51,050 tonnes in May, making it the top Chinese export market for that month. The new route helps the Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP) diversify its supply sources. The group has previously shifted sourcing away from regions east of the Suez Canal when prices or availability worsened.

OCP faces financial strain as geopolitical conflicts and supply disruptions have raised costs for ammonia and sulfur. Hespress English noted that sulfur prices have become a more severe shock. The company’s first-half revenue dropped 7.3% to 48.37 billion Moroccan dirhams. Its operating profit before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization fell to 13.31 billion dirhams, down from 18.61 billion in the prior year.

To reduce reliance on nitrogen inputs, OCP has boosted output of triple superphosphate, which does not use ammonia. This product represented 35% of fertilizer exports in the first half of 2026, compared to 26% the previous year. The Nanjing shipment fits into this broader effort to secure industrial inputs while managing cost pressures.

OCP is also developing domestic green ammonia capacity. Its investment program aims for one million tonnes of annual production by 2027 and three million tonnes by 2032, powered by renewable energy. For now, the Arlon’s voyage highlights the gap between this long-term goal and the immediate need for imported ammonia from distant suppliers.

China ships 30,000 tonnes of ammonia directly to Morocco

The story, at a glance

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