Biofuel bunkering trial finds sharp drop in emissions

Singapore — The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation says it found carbon emissions fell 83% using a vegetable oil biofuel blend compared with  very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) in a trial for a dual-fuel liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier.

This was the third of five supply chain bunkering trials that the centre has undertaken as part of an $18m project to test biofuel blends to reduce carbon emissions. The trials are key to helping the fuel and shipping industries come up with green fuels to meet the International Maritime Organisation’s 2030 and 2050 decarbonisation targets.

The biofuel blend used in the latest trial comprised marine gas oil blended with 30% hydrotreated vegetable oil that was produced from 100% waste and residues. Using it resulted in an 83% reduction in emissions compared to using fossil-based marine gas oil, the centre said.

GoodFuels supplied about 200 tonnes of the biofuel blend to the mid-sized gas carrier Kaupang operated by Eastern Pacific Shipping.

Blending marine gas oil with 30% biofuel as a pilot fuel for LPG combustion led to a 20% net reduction in emissions versus sailing on low sulphur fuel oil. A tracer was dosed with the hydrotreated vegetable oil and blended with marine gas oil on-board the bunker vessel for origin and quantity monitoring.

“Transparency is becoming even more crucial as we are now starting to bring the new generation of sustainable marine fuels to market,” said Johannes Schürmann, commercial director at GoodFuels.

The remaining supply chain trials will be run in the next few months, while details of the assurance framework will be shared through a public report in early 2024, according to Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation.

Previous trials involved blends comprising used cooking oil methyl ester blended with low sulphur fuel oil and high sulphur fuel oil.

Biofuel bunkering volumes have trended higher at the world’s top bunker hub, Singapore, with bio-blended low sulphur fuel oil sales climbing to a monthly record high in July.

Reuters