Anglo American announces delivery of the last of its 10-strong chartered fleet of Capesize+ Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) dual-fuelled bulk carriers, the Ubuntu Liberty. The Ubuntu Liberty’s maiden voyage from China to Saldanha Bay, South Africa to collect a cargo of high quality iron ore will mark the successful on-time delivery of all 10 ships built over the last three years with a zero incident safety record together with Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co. Ltd.

Matt Walker, CEO of Anglo American’s Marketing business, said: “Launching the final vessel of our Ubuntu fleet is a very large manifestation of our commitment to more sustainable shipping. This milestone is testament to our dedication to a sustainable path forward for our controllable ocean freight, ensuring the delivery of essential resources to our customers around the world while minimising our environmental footprint. It also puts us in a market leading position as the charterer of the largest LNG dual-fuelled Capesize+ fleet in the world.

“By adopting more sustainable and lower carbon fuel options like LNG, we are actively contributing to a cleaner, greener future for the maritime industry. Our customers have shown keen interest in accessing our Ubuntu freight, demonstrating growing recognition of the value of sustainable shipping as part of a more sustainable supply chain that end consumers increasingly expect.

“I thank Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co. Ltd for its collaboration to deliver these vessels on time, on budget and most importantly, with a stellar zero-safety incident record. Our gratitude also goes to all the other companies and agencies that partnered with us to make the Ubuntu fleet roll out a success.”

The Ubuntu fleet is a key component of Anglo American’s ambition to achieve carbon-neutrality for its controlled ocean freight by 2040, aligning with Anglo American’s Sustainable Mining Plan commitment to carbon neutral operations across our mines by the same year. The LNG dual-fuelled vessels offer an estimated 35% reduction in emissions compared to ships fuelled by conventional marine oil fuel and are the most efficient vessels of their type today.

Since the first vessel was loaded in early 2023, the Ubuntu fleet has successfully and safely moved 6.4 million tonnes of iron ore and steelmaking coal across global shipping routes. Additionally, the Ubuntu fleet has conducted over 30 refuelling stops for LNG in strategic locations such as Singapore and Malaysia, further demonstrating our commitment to embracing sustainable fuel alternatives.

In 2022, the shipping industry was responsible for nearly 3% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. This underscores the importance of implementing targets and initiatives that work towards a more sustainable business by adopting cleaner fuel alternatives such as LNG in shipping operations.

Source: Anglo American