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Iowa slow-release nitrogen facility online

  • : Fertilizers
  • 24/06/18

Iowa-based agriculture company Landus brought online this month its first fertilizer production facility that will produce slow-release nitrogen products, an effort meant to decrease its carbon footprint.

The nearly $15mn production facility in Boone, Iowa, will manufacture a foliar, slow-release nitrogen product that should lower in-ground nitrogen application rates and increase farm efficiency. A freestanding seed and chemical storage building will also be on the property, allowing Landus to distribute seed, crop nutrients and field services across the Midwest.

The Boone facility will also offer heated bulk storage, which would be an advantage during the fertilizer off-season, according to Landus.

The facility was backed by a $5mn grant from the US Department of Agriculture Fertilizer Production Expansion program.

Landus expects to bring online its first green ammonia production system in North America later this year, in partnership with green ammonia technology company Talus Renewables.


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25/11/14

Pertamina develops geothermal fertilizer project

Pertamina develops geothermal fertilizer project

Singapore, 14 November (Argus) — Indonesian geothermal power producer Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) has developed a technology called GeO-Fert to process organic waste into organic fertilizer using geothermal steam. The technology could help reduce carbon emissions, lower the cost of chemical fertilizers, as well as reduce farmers' reliance on them. The project has generated 57.6t of organic waste into 28.8t of solid and liquid organic fertilizer so far, using geothermal steam from the Kamojang geothermal power plant, which has an installed capacity of 235MW. The production process reduced carbon emissions by 24,800t of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e)/yr, the company said. Two farmer groups in West Java manage the project, which supplies the organic fertilizers to more than 800 farmers. This project enables farmers to produce organic fertilizers on their own, cutting fertilizer purchasing costs by up to 26mn rupiah/yr ($1,555/yr), and increasing yields of various crops like leek, potatoes, cabbage, coffee and long beans by 50-75pc, the company said. Indonesia is a key agricultural producer of palm oil, rubber, cocoa, coffee and spices. It depends heavily on chemical fertilizers for its crops. State-controlled fertilizer producer Pupuk Indonesia currently has a fertilizer capacity of over 14.6mn t/yr. Fertilizers are vital for Indonesia to achieve food self-sufficiency. But the country will need to decarbonise its fossil hydrogen use of around 1.3mn-1.75mn t/yr, according to estimates from Pertamina and the Indonesian government, to meet its national target of net zero emissions by 2060. Harnessing renewable energy to produce organic fertilizers — like PGE's project, if upscaled — could contribute to its goal, By Huijun Yao Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Ammonia viable bunker fuel under IMO plan: Fortescue


25/11/13
25/11/13

Ammonia viable bunker fuel under IMO plan: Fortescue

Sydney, 13 November (Argus) — Ammonia could emerge as a cost-effective alternative to conventional bunker fuels under the International Maritime Organization's proposed carbon levy and reward system, according to Australian mining firm Fortescue. The IMO first drafted its net-zero Framework in April 2025 aiming to achieve net zero by 2050 — by penalising vessels that emit above a set emission threshold and rewarding those below the threshold for adopting low-carbon fuels. Details on the rewards and penalties have yet to be finalised after a meeting to adopt the draft amendments was stalled last month due to pressure from some member states, including the US. A new meeting has been scheduled for October next year. The industry is hopeful the IMO's net-zero framework will be adopted, as it could help offset high costs for low-carbon fuels such as green ammonia, Fortescue project manager Matthew Garland said at the Low Carbon Fuels and CCUS Summit on 5 November in Perth. Fortescue currently uses very-low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) in its bulk carriers transporting iron ore to China. But the use of VLSFO for marine bunkering could become more expensive if the IMO introduces penalties for its usage. These penalties are projected to raise around $11-12bn annually by 2030, which the IMO plans to redistribute as incentives for lower-emission fuels. Green ammonia, a lower-emission alternative to VLSFO, remains costly due to its lower energy density, which means ships require about 2.2 times more ammonia than VLSFO, plus a small amount of pilot fuel, Garland said. Under the IMO's proposed carbon rewards, green ammonia could receive up to A$1,000/t ($656/t) in incentives, potentially bringing it close to cost parity with VLSFO under Fortescue's cost modelling. An ammonia vessel could achieve a maximum emissions reduction of 70pc if it uses the lowest-emission green ammonia continuously, Fortescue said. The company is already testing ammonia as a marine fuel with its Green Pioneer dual-fuel vessel , which completed a voyage from the Netherlands to southern France using ammonia bunkered at Rotterdam earlier this year. Australian miner BHP and China's largest shipping company Cosco have signed a deal to charter two ammonia-dual-fuelled bulk carriers , BHP announced in July. The vessels are expected to be delivered in 2028. But these are not necessarily using the lowest-emission ammonia. Australia's current green ammonia production is negligible, as the vast majority is produced from fossil fuels. But the Australian federal Labor government awarded A$814mn in production credits under its Hydrogen Headstart programme to Murchison Green Hydrogen for its planned 900,000 t/yr green ammonia plant in Western Australia (WA) earlier this year. By Grace Dudley Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Egypt’s NCIC issues fertilizer sales tender


25/11/12
25/11/12

Egypt’s NCIC issues fertilizer sales tender

London, 12 November (Argus) — Egyptian fertilizer producer NCIC has issued a tender to sell various fertilizers for loading by the end of December, closing on 24 November. NCIC is offering the following products in the tender: 80,000t of DAP — NCIC awarded DAP at $787-795/t fob in late September under its previous tender 40,000t of TSP — NCIC last awarded TSP at $580-585/t fob 30,000t of 20pc SSP — NCIC last awarded SSP at $175-183/t fob 5,000t of urea — NCIC offered 5,000t of granular urea in its previous tender but no awards emerged 15,000t of 26pc CAN — NCIC did not offer CAN in its previous tender 1,500t of water-soluble SOP in 50kg bags — NCIC did not offer SOP in its previous tender Bids are to be valid for two weeks and all cargoes will be priced on a fob basis. NCIC did not issue a sales tender in October, despite typically issuing one each month. By Tom Hampson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Granular urea bid up to mid-$410s/t fob Qatar in tender


25/11/12
25/11/12

Granular urea bid up to mid-$410s/t fob Qatar in tender

Amsterdam, 12 November (Argus) — Supplier QatarEnergy closed a granular urea sales tender today, with the highest bid emerging in the mid-$410s/t fob for 45,000t. The supplier had offered 25,000-45,000t of granular urea for loading in December under the tender. A sale is expected to take place at that level, but there was no comment from the parties involved. The price is about $10/t up on QatarEnergy's sale of prilled urea last week under its 6 November tender . By Harry Minihan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Mexico’s heavy vehicle sales down 54pc in Oct


25/11/11
25/11/11

Mexico’s heavy vehicle sales down 54pc in Oct

Mexico City, 11 November (Argus) — Heavy vehicle sales in Mexico fell by 54pc in October from a year earlier, driven by a weakening domestic market and economic uncertainty. Sales of heavy vehicles — trucks and buses — totaled 5,612 units in October, down from 12,196 in October 2024 and down by 4pc from 5,872 units a month prior, according to statistics agency Inegi data. Wholesale sales — orders from large logistics and freight operators — fell by 61pc to 2,603 units in October from 6,675 a year earlier, indicating that major operators are postponing or reducing purchases because of uncertainty and higher operating costs. Heavy vehicle production and exports fell sharply, driven mainly by US president Donald Trump's plan to impose a 25pc tariff on US imports of medium- and heavy-duty trucks, initially set for 1 October and later postponed to mid-November. Mexico's government has said it is confident a deal can still be reached. Heavy vehicle sales from January-October fell to 58,019 units from 99,600 in the same period of 2024, Inegi data show. Heavy vehicle production fell to 7,131 units in October from 17,302 a year prior. On a monthly basis, production ticked up by 4pc, or 274 units. Exports followed suit, dropping to 5,221 units in October from 11,677 a year earlier. Heavy vehicle demand is a key indicator for logistics-sector activity in Mexico, which in turn influences demand for diesel and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), used as an additive to diesel to reduce emissions. Mexico's government is preparing new environmental rules that would effectively ban imports of used heavy vehicles older than 10 years , aiming to align import standards with domestic emissions regulations and accelerate fleet renewal. By Cas Biekmann Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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