A mining giant’s green vessel docks in Monaco to lead the charge for zero-emissions shipping

13/06/2025

A towering dark-hulled vessel loomed off Monaco’s coast this past weekend, its presence impossible to ignore. Emblazoned with a giant fluorescent green zero and the words Leading the way to real zero, the Green Pioneer isn’t just a striking visual statement—it’s the world’s first ammonia-fuelled ship, and it docked in the Principality as a bold symbol of how big industry can drive climate action from the front.

Docked in Monaco for the Blue Economy and Finance Forum, the Green Pioneer brought with it more than cutting-edge engineering. It brought a message: if one of the world’s largest mining companies can reinvent its shipping operations for the climate era, so can everyone else.

The maritime sector is responsible for nearly 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, largely due to the use of heavy fuel oil—an extremely polluting fossil fuel. Alternatives like LNG (liquefied natural gas) and biofuels have gained attention in recent years, but neither offer a long-term solution. LNG still emits CO₂ and leaks methane, a far more potent greenhouse gas. Biofuels, while cleaner, face scalability issues and competition with food crops.

Ammonia, by contrast, contains no carbon atoms, meaning that when burned correctly, it produces no carbon dioxide. It’s also already widely traded globally for use in fertilisers, giving it a built-in infrastructure base. “Ammonia doesn’t have a carbon molecule, which is perfect,” Andrew Hoare, Fortescue’s Head of Green Shipping, told Monaco Life’s Cassandra Tanti. “So we have set out to show that ammonia can be used as a very effective marine fuel.”

The Green Pioneer is powered by four engines, two of which have been converted to run on ammonia. This dual-fuel approach allows the ship to continue operating safely while testing ammonia propulsion under real-world conditions. Early land-based tests in Perth confirmed the viability of ammonia combustion, and in 2023, the ship completed sea trials and docked in Dubai for COP28 as a live demonstration of the future of low-emissions shipping.

*Andrew Hoare, Fortescue’s Head of Green Shipping, was in Monaco promoting the value of Ammonia as a fuel for shipping. Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life*

No rulebook, no delay

Unlike LNG and methanol, ammonia had no formal regulatory framework for use as a marine fuel when Fortescue began this project. Rather than wait, Fortescue acted. “There was no rulebook,” said Hoare. “So we approached Singapore and said, ‘We’ll be burning ammonia in this ship in your port within six months’.”

Singapore responded, deploying 100 officials across various agencies to oversee the pioneering effort. Fortescue completed conversions in dry dock and sourced green ammonia locally for fuel. The ship sailed successfully in and out of Singaporean waters, and the demonstration helped fast-track a major regulatory milestone: in December 2024, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) approved ammonia as a marine fuel, years ahead of schedule.

Still, full-scale commercial use remains restricted. Ammonia fuel is currently only allowed in certain regulated port areas. International protocols for open sea use are still being developed, meaning further advocacy and demonstration projects are essential.

The interest—and the hurdles

Since its conversion, the Green Pioneer has travelled from Singapore to Dubai, the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, and now Monaco, with a flotilla sailing to Nice for the United Nations Ocean Conference. The interest it’s sparked along the way has been notable. At COP28, it was a quiet standout, drawing dignitaries and global leaders. At each port, regulators, investors, and industry figures have toured the ship to witness the technology first-hand.

Yet Hoare acknowledges the road ahead isn’t frictionless. The major obstacle is economic. Green ammonia, produced from renewable hydrogen and nitrogen, is significantly more expensive than traditional fuels. Fortescue sees this challenge as surmountable—particularly with the introduction of carbon pricing frameworks for shipping, which would make fossil fuels comparatively less attractive over time.

“Saving the planet is important,” said Hoare, “but it must also make financial sense for investors and consumers.” He added that shipping’s long vessel lifespans—typically 25 years—require clarity around future fuel standards to encourage companies to invest in alternative fuels now.

Next steps: scale, supply, and standards

Fortescue has already committed to a new ammonia-fuelled bulk carrier, a Newcastlemax vessel due for delivery in 2026 or early 2027. It will transport iron ore from Australia to China—one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors—and serve as the next major test of green ammonia at scale.

The company’s immediate goal is to secure green ammonia infrastructure along this route. Ports like Rotterdam already offer ammonia bunkering, but many others do not. Fortescue believes the key is focused investment in a few strategic trade routes rather than global overhaul. “We don’t need every port to change overnight,” said Hoare. “If we secure green ammonia availability along that corridor, we can make a big impact.”

At forums like the one in Monaco, Fortescue continues to press the point: corporates don’t need to wait for perfect conditions—they can create them. By investing early, acting decisively, and bringing regulators along, industry leaders can move faster than government policy alone.

As Hoare put it, “The technology exists. The policies are coming. We’ve proven it’s possible. Now it’s time to scale, to walk the talk, and to keep accelerating the pace of change—on the ocean and under it.”

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Main photo credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life

Enric Sala slams France’s lack of leadership as UN Ocean Conference draws to a close

by: Cassandra Tanti

13/06/2025

At the closing of the third UN Ocean Conference in Nice, National Geographic explorer Enric Sala offered a stinging critique of global inaction and France’s missed opportunity to lead on ocean conservation. While hailing new marine protected areas, Sala warned that progress remains painfully slow and riddled with contradiction.

Held in Nice from 9th to 13th June, the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) concluded with a mixture of celebration and frustration. Among the most vocal critics was Enric Sala, a long-standing scientific adviser and founder of Pristine Seas, who declared that while some nations had stepped up with new protections, France – the host country – had “missed an epic opportunity” by continuing to allow bottom trawling in marine areas designated for protection. “This was France’s moment,” he said. “But instead of making a splash, its leaders continued allowing bottom trawling in areas of the ocean set aside for protection.”

Praise for new marine parks – but a warning about the pace

Sala welcomed the creation of new marine reserves by countries including Colombia, Samoa, and the Marshall Islands, recognising their contribution to the 30×30 target – the goal of protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030. Yet he cautioned that the world is far from achieving it. “We must race,” he said, warning that “we need to establish 85 new marine protected areas daily to achieve this goal”.

Protection ‘in name only’ when industrial fishing continues

The explorer was adamant that marine protected areas are only meaningful if they exclude harmful activities. “Marine protected areas that allow damaging activities like industrial fishing are protected in name only,” he said, arguing that the strongest scientific evidence supports fully protected reserves that deliver tangible benefits in biodiversity, food security, and climate resilience. According to Sala, only strict enforcement will yield real returns for nature and people.

Monaco maintains its regional commitment

Though France drew criticism, Monaco’s role throughout UNOC3 was more positively received. Ahead of the conference, the Principality hosted the Blue Economy and Finance Forum and announced a €1.5 million renewal to MedFund, a Mediterranean marine conservation initiative. These contributions were part of a broader show of support for sustainable ocean finance and marine biodiversity ahead of the main UN summit.

A summit of contrasts: lofty goals versus limited gains

Despite a growing list of national pledges and the ratification of the High Seas Treaty by several countries – including a projection by France that it will enter into force by January 2026 – the overall tone remained one of cautious scepticism. For Sala, the gap between ambition and action was glaring. “Ultimately, this summit produced a mere drop in the bucket of what we desperately need to protect the ocean – the lungs of our planet,” he concluded.

Photo of Enric Sala taken from video address in Nice

From luxury fakes to maths education: startups shine at K2Match Investor Lounge

by: Kyriaki Topalidou

13/06/2025

The sixth edition of the K2Match Investor Lounge brought together ambitious startups and international investors at the prestigious Columbus Monte-Carlo hotel.

The evening began with champagne and networking before founders took centre stage to pitch their innovations to an international audience of investors from across Europe, the US, and Asia.

Badr Moudden, CEO and co-founder of K2Match, opened the floor for startups by highlighting what he considers the greatest risk facing early-stage investors: the phycological readiness of founders themselves.

“One of the biggest risks for investors, especially in early stages—pre-seed, seed, even Series A—is still the mental personalities of the founders and the mechanics of the team,” Moudden explained. “The startup is like a car—you can work on it, improve the business plan. But people are more complex.”

This philosophy has shaped K2MATCH’s approach to nurturing startups. The platform, which connects over 1,500 carefully curated startups with more than 450 investors globally, announced the launch of a 10-week accelerator programme starting in July.

Unlike traditional programmes, this begins with psychological assessment and resilience training before moving to technical aspects of business development. “We are starting with the mental part,” Moudden said. “So it starts with an assessment of the founders and a journey with our head mentor, to make them resilient and ready for the job.”

Tackling the education market

Among the evening’s standout presentations was Everybody Counts, an education technology startup targeting the global primary mathematics education market worth €60 billion annually.

A representative from Everybody Counts, replacing Co-founder Andy Ridgway, explained how their digital teaching platform for children aged five to eleven addresses cultural representation: “If you log into our platform in Nigeria, you’ll see children who look like you. If you log into our platform in Cambodia, you see children who look like you.”

The startup has secured €4 million in contracts and €1 million in grant funding, including €500,000 from Innovate UK. Their machine learning algorithms personalise learning experiences and can detect potential dyscalculia and dyslexia cases approximately one year before traditional diagnosis.

“At that age, every single week is important for early diagnosis,” Ridgway noted. “And all those traditional print publishers can’t do any of that.”

Blockchain battles luxury counterfeit

The evening also featured NiFTyGet, a blockchain-based authentication service addressing the growing problem of counterfeit luxury goods.

CEO and co-founder Ash Patel highlighted the scale of the issue, explaining to Monaco Life that 46% of customers have unintentionally purchased counterfeit items online.

“I’ve known a customer that purchased a Birkin bag online for €10,000, took it to a store for help with something, and it was a counterfeit,” Patel explained. “There are lots of money being taken off consumers.”

NiFTyGet’s solution integrates directly with luxury brands’ e-commerce platforms, creating a blockchain-verified chain of ownership for authentic pre-owned items. Each product receives a unique NFT identifier that transfers with ownership, ensuring authenticity and provenance tracking.

“We effectively add a blockchain layer, and is a unique identifier against every single product,” Patel said. “So we always know that it’s authentic. We know who owned it. We know where it’s come from.

Expanding the ecosystem

K2MATCH has evolved beyond simple investor matching to offer comprehensive growth solutions. The platform now provides AI-powered sales agents to help startups develop customer acquisition strategies, addressing the challenge of scaling personalised support across its extensive startup network.

The organisation’s ecosystem encompasses over 50 experts, 20 solution partners, 10 business communities, and 20 corporates alongside its investor network, facilitating funding from €50,000 to several million across all stages from pre-seed to exit

Main photo credit: Monaco life, featuring Badr Moudden, CEO and co-founder of K2Match and Ash Patel, Ceo and co-founder of NiFTyGet

Monaco hits new milestones in mobility shift, but bigger changes are on the horizon

by: Cassandra Tanti

13/06/2025

Monaco’s push to modernise its transport network and cut emissions is gaining momentum, with record uptake of public and active transport and expanded train service into the Principality. But as the government prepares to pilot a summer traffic restriction zone, all eyes are on whether the next wave of measures can keep pace with the changing mobility demands of both residents and commuters.

The 2025 Monaco Grand Prix served as a real-world trial for one of the Principality’s newest mobility assets: the Salines car park. According to new figures by the Monaco Government, on race day, it reached 93% occupancy with 1,662 vehicles logged. A recently introduced online booking system also handled over 500 reservations per day. Officials say the high usage validates both the project and the digital approach behind it, though questions remain about long-term integration with wider transport planning.

More trains, more often—but is it enough?

Rail remains Monaco’s most efficient low-carbon transport option. The number of trains stopping at Monaco station has increased from 95 to 124 on weekdays and over 140 on weekends. The expanded timetable comes with longer service hours and more onboard capacity. However, with commuter traffic from France continuing to rise, pressure on the cross-border network remains high. Two additional trains are expected to join the fleet in 2027, but that still leaves a gap in capacity in the short term.

Buses and bikes gain traction

Public transport use is up. The CAM bus network carried 7.6 million passengers in 2024, a 4% rise on the previous year. Contactless payments have soared, and services like the ClicBus and express lines are becoming more established in daily routines. Meanwhile, the shift to electric vehicles is accelerating. The government says all standard bus lines will run on fully electric fleets by the end of 2025.

Cycling is seeing a surge, too. MonaBike registered an all-time monthly high in May 2025 with over 82,000 rides—up 43% from May 2024 and surpassing the previous peak set last July. The figures reflect changing attitudes toward short-distance travel, particularly among local users.

ZTL summer trial marks next phase

This summer, Monaco will pilot a restricted traffic zone (ZTL) aimed at reducing vehicle flow in high-density areas. Details are still under development, but the move suggests the government is ready to test more assertive traffic control measures. If implemented permanently, the scheme could mark a turning point in how Monaco manages its growing transport demands without compromising liveability.

Monaco’s transport strategy is clearly evolving, with a focus on cutting emissions and reducing pressure on urban roads. But as climate targets tighten and population dynamics shift, the next phase may require bolder policy—and a willingness to rethink how cars fit into the future of the Principality.

Photo of Salines car park source: Monaco Government Communication Department

Monte-Carlo Television Festival unveils winners of 2025 Special Prizes

by: Cassandra Tanti

13/06/2025

64th edition of the Monte-Carlo Film Festival

In a powerful preview of the human stories and environmental battles shaping the screen this year, the Monte-Carlo Television Festival has announced the winners of its prestigious Special Prizes. From war-torn Ukraine to the endangered reefs of Indonesia, the selected documentaries shine a spotlight on courage, compassion and conservation. The awards will be formally presented at the festival’s Closing Ceremony on 17th June at the Grimaldi Forum in the presence of Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene.

The 2025 AMADE Prize will be awarded to Children in the Fire, a striking co-production between Ukraine and the United States by Unbroken Generation Production, Karandash Animation Studio and PFX. This hybrid documentary blends live-action with evocative animation to tell the stories of young survivors of the war in Ukraine.

With raw vulnerability and poetic artistry, Children in the Fire gives voice to children navigating unimaginable trauma. The film avoids sensationalism, instead offering a compassionate exploration of the strength that emerges amid devastation. The result is a deeply moving piece that aligns closely with AMADE’s mission to protect vulnerable children and support their access to education and healthcare.

The documentary is dedicated not only to Ukraine’s youngest but to children worldwide who have experienced the terror of war, domestic abuse, mass shootings or violence. Their testimonies, shaped by survival and dignity, offer an enduring message of hope that reaches far beyond borders.

Monaco Red Cross Prize awarded to L’Ange de Boutcha

The Monaco Red Cross Prize will be presented to L’Ange de Boutcha, a documentary from France’s Hikari Films that tells the extraordinary true story of Konstantin, a French civilian who risked his life to rescue more than 200 people from the besieged Ukrainian town of Boutcha.

Driven by humanitarian conviction, Konstantin navigated war zones using a Kazakh passport, smuggled civilians out under threat of sniper fire, and documented war crimes including sexual violence. His work, submitted to Ukrainian judicial authorities, has helped build cases for prosecution and brought dignity to those lost through respectful burial and careful record-keeping.

Despite persistent threats and physical danger, Konstantin continues to serve on the front lines, delivering aid and recording testimony. His selfless acts embody the Red Cross values of humanity, impartiality and voluntary service, and the film itself offers a stark yet uplifting portrait of moral courage in action.

Prince Rainier III Special Prize highlights marine rewilding

The Prince Rainier III Special Prize for Environmental Documentary will go to Rewilding Sharks, a visually stunning and urgent film produced by CNA and Kraken Film. Shot across Indonesia and Hong Kong, the documentary follows young marine biologist Nesha Ichida and her team as they work to reintroduce leopard sharks into their native habitats around Raja Ampat.

What begins as a scientific mission becomes a deeply human narrative, centred on the story of a single juvenile shark named Myra. As Nesha works to prepare Myra for life in the wild, their unlikely bond symbolises a broader effort to repair damaged ecosystems and restore balance to ocean life.

Rewilding Sharks not only showcases breathtaking underwater footage, but also highlights the delicate interplay between community, science and nature. It is a compelling tribute to Prince Rainier III’s enduring legacy in environmental protection and reflects the mission of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to safeguard marine biodiversity for future generations.

Spotlight on human spirit and planetary healing

These three award-winning films encapsulate the spirit of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival’s Special Prizes: shining a light on underreported issues, celebrating extraordinary individuals, and giving global audiences stories that inspire both empathy and action.

As Laurent Puons, General Manager of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, stated: “Each of these films transcends the boundaries of genre to tell human stories that matter. They remind us of television’s extraordinary power to witness, to challenge, and to connect.”

The Special Prizes will be presented at the Closing Ceremony of the 63rd Monte-Carlo Television Festival on Tuesday 17th June, in the presence of Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene at the Grimaldi Forum.

Day: 13 June 2025