Biofuels move towards comerciality

Global resources company BHP, German shipping company Oldendorff Carriers, and advanced biofuels pioneer GoodFuels, with the support of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), have conducted the first marine biofuel trial involving an ocean-going vessel bunkered in Singapore.

Captain Daknashamoorthy Ganasen, MPA’s senior director (Operations and Marine Services), said: “Singapore is committed to the environmental sustainability of the shipping industry. We welcome interested parties to cooperate on the research, development and piloting of clean marine fuels in reducing the impact of shipping on the environment.”

Biofuel cuts CO2 emissions

As part of the trial on 4 April, Oldendorff Carriers’ 2020-built 81,290 deadweight tonne dry bulk carrier Kira Oldendorff was refuelled with “drop-in” advanced biofuel blended with conventional fossil fuels by the Marlin Tiga tug. The advanced biofuel, supplied by GoodFuels, reduces CO2 emissions by 80-90% well-to-exhaust compared with HFO/VLSFO, and uses sustainable waste and residue streams as feedstock.

The key objectives of the biofuel bunkering trial included understanding the behaviour of the fuel including emissions, assessing engine and vessel operational performance during the trial, as well as exploring the technical and commercial merits and challenges of biofuels as a marine fuel. The trial will enable the development an informed strategy on the structural supply and use of biofuels to support BHP’s key shipping routes.

Kira Oldendorff, chartered to BHP, was chosen for the trial as appropriate modifications to the vessel were easily carried out to burn the biofuel blend efficiently. Monitoring instruments were installed to capture the trial data as accurately as possible.