Medhyterra, a low-carbon ammonia import terminal on the Fos Tonkin site

24 September 2024

The Medhyterra project involves redeveloping part of the site of its Fos Tonkin LNG terminal into a low-carbon ammonia import terminal. This is a first step in the implementation of our strategy and will contribute to the deployment and availability of low-carbon molecules in the Fos region.

About the project

Inaugurated in 1972, the Fos Tonkin terminal is one of three LNG terminals operated by Elengy in France. It forms a multimodal platform to the west of the Mediterranean basin in the Zone Industrialo-Portuaire (ZIP) of Fos-sur-Mer, at a location known as ‘Le Tonkin’. With a storage capacity of 80,000 m3, the terminal is currently used to receive LNG carriers transporting natural gas in liquefied form (LNG).
The Medhyterra project aims to redevelop part of the Fos Tonkin terminal into a low-carbon ammonia import, storage and distribution terminal.

It would include ;

reception and transfer facilities to accommodate ships carrying low-carbon ammonia, which would then be stored in a tank with a capacity of around 30,000 m3
loading bays for wagons, to transport the ammonia by rail, and for tankers, as well as a pipeline to distribute the ammonia out of the terminal.
Ultimately, the terminal should receive more than 200,000 tonnes of low-carbon ammonia per year.

A historic industrial base open to the Mediterranean

The project to redevelop part of the Fos Tonkin terminal into a low-carbon ammonia import terminal is of strategic importance in the current context of energy transition and decarbonisation of industry.

The redevelopment of the terminal would make it possible to capitalise on the existing infrastructure while incorporating new facilities for receiving and storing ammonia. As an energy carrier, low-carbon ammonia offers advantages for the transport and storage of low-carbon hydrogen, which is essential for reducing carbon emissions.

These developments support the objectives of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the 2050 target set by the European Union for achieving carbon neutrality, by promoting the use of cleaner, more sustainable energy.

Key figures

Storage tank capacity of around 30,000 m3
Import capacity of 200,000 tonnes of low-carbon ammonia per year
10 to 15 ships unloaded per year
Estimated investment of between €120 million and €150 million
Final investment decision expected in 2026
Commissioning scheduled for 2029

About low-carbon ammonia

Ammonia is synthesised from nitrogen, a neutral gas naturally present in the air, and hydrogen. In its low-carbon version, it can :

contribute to decarbonising industries that use it directly in their processes (agriculture, petrochemicals, automotive)
provide a solution for transporting low-carbon hydrogen produced in regions of the world with significant renewable electricity resources to regions where the need for low-carbon hydrogen will not be met by local production.