GCMD, NYK and VPS witness first B24 bunkering op of NYK vessel for Project LOTUS
- Published
by Admin
The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) on Wednesday (26 June) said together with NYK Line and marine fuels testing company VPS, it witnessed the first bunkering of B24 biofuel blend on NYK’s short-sea vehicle carrier as part of Project LOTUS.
GCMD said Project LOTUS is a six-month long project to trial the continuous use of biofuels to study its impact on engine performance and onboard systems operations.
Manifold Times previously reported GCMD teaming up with NYK Line to launch Project LOTUS, which stands for long-term impact of continuous use of biofuels on vessel operations.
This six-month project will trial the continuous use of a biofuels blend, comprising 24% FAME and 76% VLSFO, onboard a short-sea vehicle carrier that will call at multiple ports.
“The project team worked closely with the vessel crew onboard to ensure that Project LOTUS’s plan was executed according to our specifications, ensuring that the data collected is robust and accurate, ultimately leading to meaningful results and insights,” GCMD said in a social media post.
The pilot will involve monitoring and analysing impact on:
- Fuel quality: Quality of the biofuel blend will be systematically tracked and monitored throughout the supply chain, from bunkering to onboard consumption under operating conditions.
- Fuel delivery system: Physical inspection of the fuel delivery system and purifiers will be conducted to monitor for potential seal leakages, corrosion, clogging etc.
- Engine performance: Working with engine OEMs, detailed inspections will be conducted on engine components before and after switching to biofuels along with a lubricating oil analysis to assess its efficacy in protecting the engine’s moving parts from wear and tear.
The use of a vessel plying short-sea routes will allow regular access to fuels stored onboard for sampling and testing during frequent port calls.
FAME, a readily available biofuel derived from second-generation feedstocks, like used cooking oil and palm oil mill effluent, presents a promising fuel alternative for immediate GHG emissions reduction in the shipping industry.
Related: GCMD and NYK to launch six-month trial of continuous bio bunker fuels use on vessel
Photo credit: Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation
Published: 27 June, 2024
