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Anglo American completes 10-strong chartered fleet of lower emission LNG dual-fuelled vessels

28 February, 2024

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.

The full fleet and their flags as below:

Vessel Name Flag State Date Delivered
Ubuntu Harmony Singapore 19th December 2022
Ubuntu Equality Singapore 03rd January 2023
Ubuntu Integrity Singapore 31st January 2023
Ubuntu Loyalty Singapore 22nd March 2023
Ubuntu Unity Greece 28th February 2023
Ubuntu Community Greece 18th April 2023
Ubuntu Empathy UK 09th May 2023
Ubuntu Humanity UK 18th May 2023
Ubuntu Sincerity UK 29th January 2024
Ubuntu Liberty UK 27th February 2024

For further information, please contact:

Media Investors
UK UK
James Wyatt-Tilby Paul Galloway
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 8759 Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 8718
Marcelo Esquivel Emma Waterworth
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 8891 Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 8574
Rebecca Meeson–Frizelle Juliet Newth
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 1374 Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 8830
South Africa Michelle Jarman
Nevashnee Naicker Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 1494
Tel: +27 (0)11 638 3189  
Sibusiso Tshabalala  
Email: [email protected]  
Tel: +27 (0)11 638 2175  

Notes:

In the Sea Cargo Charter Annual Disclosure Report 2023, it was noted that Anglo American’s shipping scored -3.7% on our annual activity alignment climate alignment score for 2022, which is well within the limits of the permitted alignment trajectory, demonstrating that our drive to improve the efficiency of our shipping operations is yielding the desired outcomes1.

Anglo American is a leading global mining company and our products are the essential ingredients in almost every aspect of modern life. Our portfolio of world-class competitive operations, with a broad range of future development options, provides many of the future-enabling metals and minerals for a cleaner, greener, more sustainable world and that meet the fast growing every day demands of billions of consumers. With our people at the heart of our business, we use innovative practices and the latest technologies to discover new resources and to mine, process, move and market our products to our customers – safely and sustainably.

As a responsible producer of copper, nickel, platinum group metals, diamonds (through De Beers), and premium quality iron ore and steelmaking coal – with crop nutrients in development – we are committed to being carbon neutral across our operations by 2040. More broadly, our Sustainable Mining Plan commits us to a series of stretching goals to ensure we work towards a healthy environment, creating thriving communities and building trust as a corporate leader. We work together with our business partners and diverse stakeholders to unlock enduring value from precious natural resources for the benefit of the communities and countries in which we operate, for society as a whole, and for our shareholders. Anglo American is re-imagining mining to improve people’s lives.

www.angloamerican.com

In this document, references to “Anglo American”, the “Anglo American Group”, the “Group”, “we”, “us”, and “our” are to refer to either Anglo American plc and its subsidiaries and/or those who work for them generally, or where it is not necessary to refer to a particular entity, entities or persons. The use of those generic terms herein is for convenience only, and is in no way indicative of how the Anglo American Group or any entity within it is structured, managed or controlled. Anglo American subsidiaries, and their management, are responsible for their own day-to-day operations, including but not limited to securing and maintaining all relevant licences and permits, operational adaptation and implementation of Group policies, management, training and any applicable local grievance mechanisms. Anglo American produces group-wide policies and procedures to ensure best uniform practices and standardisation across the Anglo American Group but is not responsible for the day to day implementation of such policies. Such policies and procedures constitute prescribed minimum standards only. Group operating subsidiaries are responsible for adapting those policies and procedures to reflect local conditions where appropriate, and for implementation, oversight and monitoring within their specific businesses.

Disclaimer

This document is for information purposes only and does not constitute, nor is to be construed as, an offer to sell or the recommendation, solicitation, inducement or offer to buy, subscribe for or sell shares in Anglo American or any other securities by Anglo American or any other party. Further, it should not be treated as giving investment, legal, accounting, regulatory, taxation or other advice and has no regard to the specific investment or other objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any recipient.

Forward-looking statements and third party information

This document includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this document, including, without limitation, those regarding Anglo American’s financial position, business, acquisition and divestment strategy, dividend policy, plans and objectives of management for future operations, prospects and projects (including development plans and objectives relating to Anglo American’s products, production forecasts and Ore Reserve and Mineral Resource positions) and sustainability performance related (including environmental, social and governance) goals, ambitions, targets, visions, milestones and aspirations, are forward-looking statements. By their nature, such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Anglo American or industry results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding Anglo American’s present and future business strategies and the environment in which Anglo American will operate in the future. Important factors that could cause Anglo American’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, among others, levels of actual production during any period, levels of global demand and commodity market prices, unanticipated downturns in business relationships with customers or their purchases from Anglo American, mineral resource exploration and project development capabilities and delivery, recovery rates and other operational capabilities, safety, health or environmental incidents, the effects of global pandemics and outbreaks of infectious diseases, the impact of attacks from third parties on our information systems, natural catastrophes or adverse geological conditions, climate change and extreme weather events, the outcome of litigation or regulatory proceedings, the availability of mining and processing equipment, the ability to obtain key inputs in a timely manner, the ability to produce and transport products profitably, the availability of necessary infrastructure (including transportation) services, the development, efficacy and adoption of new or competing technology, challenges in realising resource estimates or discovering new economic mineralisation, the impact of foreign currency exchange rates on market prices and operating costs, the availability of sufficient credit, liquidity and counterparty risks, the effects of inflation, terrorism, war, conflict, political or civil unrest, uncertainty, tensions and disputes and economic and financial conditions around the world, evolving societal and stakeholder requirements and expectations, shortages of skilled employees, unexpected difficulties relating to acquisitions or divestitures, competitive pressures and the actions of competitors, activities by courts, regulators and governmental authorities such as in relation to permitting or forcing closure of mines and ceasing of operations or maintenance of Anglo American’s assets and changes in taxation or safety, health, environmental or other types of regulation in the countries where Anglo American operates, conflicts over land and resource ownership rights and such other risk factors identified in Anglo American’s most recent Annual Report. Forward-looking statements should, therefore, be construed in light of such risk factors and undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this document. Anglo American expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking (except as required by applicable law, the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers, the UK Listing Rules, the Disclosure and Transparency Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority, the Listings Requirements of the securities exchange of the JSE Limited in South Africa, the SIX Swiss Exchange, the Botswana Stock Exchange and the Namibian Stock Exchange and any other applicable regulations) to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in Anglo American’s expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Nothing in this document should be interpreted to mean that future earnings per share of Anglo American will necessarily match or exceed its historical published earnings per share. Certain statistical and other information included in this document is sourced from third party sources (including, but not limited to, externally conducted studies and trials). As such it has not been independently verified and presents the views of those third parties, but may not necessarily correspond to the views held by Anglo American and Anglo American expressly disclaims any responsibility for, or liability in respect of, such information.

©Anglo American Services (UK) Ltd 2024.   and are trademarks of Anglo American Services (UK) Ltd.

1 Signatories to the Sea Cargo Charter have committed to reporting the climate alignment of their shipping activities for each calendar year. Underpinning this annual activity score are individual voyage climate alignment scores which express the difference (as a percentage) between measured carbon intensity and the required ship type/size decarbonisation trajectory value for the year under review. A negative score indicates being below the limits of the permitted alignment trajectory.