Norway’s Yara evaluates potential stock listing of Yara Clean Ammonia unit on Oslo Stock Exchange

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Yara is evaluating a potential initial public offering (IPO) of its Yara Clean Ammonia (YCA) business on the Oslo Stock Exchange, the Norwegian fertilizer major said on Wednesday.

“Consistent with Yara’s ownership approach, the evaluation of a potential future listing is focused on attracting minority investors and reflects Yara’s strategic ambition to enable the hydrogen economy,” the company said in a statement.

Clean ammonia will play a crucial role within zero-emission shipping fuels, power generation, green fertilizer production and other industrial applications, according to Yara.

Yara established YCA as a separate segment and business unit in February last year to focus on clean ammonia.

Subsequently, Yara announced that YCA would be set up as a separate legal entity and that Yara would maintain majority ownership.

“YCA remains core to Yara’s strategy and Yara will continue to provide long-term backing to YCA as its majority owner and preferred partner,” said Svein Tore Holsether, CEO and President of Yara.

YCA sourced, transported and sold more than 4m tonnes of ammonia last year.

Clean ammonia offers a solution to the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors, such as shipping, power generation and agriculture, according to Yara.

“New use-cases represent major opportunities on top of the existing structurally robust ammonia market, with the size of the global ammonia market expected to more than double in volume by 2050,” it said.

“This is anticipated to lead to shifts in trade flows and increased trading of ammonia, which will significantly increase the importance of YCA’s midstream value chain position,” the company added.