Alternative Fuels

ANL containerised vessel completes first B20 biofuel blend-powered voyage in Oceania

Biofuel, together with alternative bunker fuels such as LNG and biomethane, will make up 10% of the CMA CGM Group’s energy mix by 2023.

Published

4 years ago

April 18, 2022

Admin

ANL, a subsidiary of the shipping and logistics player CMA CGM Group, on Wednesday (13 April) announced the success of the first biofuel trial on a containerised shipping vessel within Oceania.

The trial, undertaken on ANL’s AAX1 service was a 42-day rotation, commencing in Brisbane, travelling via Southeast Asia and then onto key Australian ports.

The trail voyage used a B20 biofuel bunker blend with feedstock supplied by Queensland-based EcoTech while BP Marine and Port of Brisbane played a pivotal role in supplying and bunkering the blended fuel.

The international shipping service carries a vast array of consumer goods from cotton, meat, beverages and dairy to machinery, furniture, fashion textiles and ceramics.

Woolworths Group, a key partner on this biofuel trial, works with ANL through its supply chain business, Primary Connect, to bring quality household products to Australia and deliver Australian products like breakfast foods, cooking products and snacks to Asia under a range of Woolworths brands.

The Queensland Government has also supported the trial through its Biofutures 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan which is building on the state’s emerging strengths in biofutures and biofuels to secure local jobs, demonstrating Queensland is a leading destination for clean energy investment.

The prospect of being able to transport these goods with lower emissions could positively impact tens of thousands of consumers from this one sailing.

With the success of the biofuel trial now under hand, ANL envisages this blend to be more broadly adopted in Oceania in line with the forthcoming International Maritime Organisation’s GHG Regulations set to launch in 2023.

Bio-LNG, a new and immediately available solution on the path to Net Zero Carbon

Setting the goal of achieving Net Zero carbon by 2050, ANL as a part of the CMA CGM Group is heavily investing in energy transition using the best technical solutions available today while proactively preparing for the future.

The CMA CGM Group already operates today 27 vessels “e-methane ready” and will have a total of 44 vessels by the end of 2024. Today, the CMA CGM Group is also using biofuel onboard container ships that serve Intra-Europe. Biofuel, together with alternative fuels such as LNG and biomethane among others, will make up 10% of the CMA CGM Group’s energy mix by 2023.

“This voyage is a crucial step in not only our journey to Net Zero carbon but also the industry and region’s evolution to a cleaner and more sustainable way of working. We’re very grateful to our longstanding client Woolworths Group, as our key partner on the trial. Collaboration for the UN Sustainable Development Goals is certainly key!”said ANL Managing Director Shane Walden.

“We’ve already reduced our own emissions by 27% on the path to becoming net carbon positive by 2050, and we want to expand our efforts beyond our own business to make our supply chains greener too. Not only does ANL bring quality household products to Australia for our customers, it also helps us take great Australian Woolworths Group products to the world,” said Woolworths Group Director of Transport and Primary Connect, Chris Brooks

“This biofuel trial is a first of its kind for our business and we’re optimistic about how we can work with innovative partners like ANL to make each link in the supply chain more sustainable for a better tomorrow.”

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles welcomed the ship to the Port of Brisbane.

“Queensland has the potential to become a leading biofuel refueling station in the western Pacific. The Queensland Government played a key role in partnering with ANL for the trial. Using locally produced biofuel, the project allows ships to make immediate and significant reductions to their emissions, helping to protect marine life, biodiversity and the planet.”

“This is an exciting glimpse into a cleaner future for the shipping industry,” Port of Brisbane CEO Neil Stephens said.

“We’re pleased to have worked closely with ANL, EcoTech, and BP Marine to make it happen. Only by working together can we make a genuine difference in reducing emissions and delivering a more sustainable port for the future.”

Photo credit: ANL
Published: 18 April, 2022

Alternative Fuels

Olam Agri, Vitol Bunkers wrap up co-processed VLSFO bio-bunkering operation in Singapore

“MV Scion Mathilda” was supplied with 246.5 mt of co-processed VLSFO at the Port of Singapore, comprising 212 mt of conventional VLSFO and 34.5 mt of co-processed CNSL VLSFO.

Published

6 hours ago

August 21, 2026

Admin

Olam Agri, Vitol Bunkers wrap up co-processed VLSFO bio-bunkering operation in Singapore

Agri-business Olam Agri on Thursday (20 August) said it successfully completed Singapore’s first bio-bunkering operation with Vitol Bunkers, using Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) co-processed with Cashew Nutshell Liquid (CNSL), showcasing a waste-to-energy approach.

MV Scion Mathilda was supplied with 246.5 metric tonnes (mt) of co-processed VLSFO at the Port of Singapore, comprising 212 mt of conventional VLSFO and 34.5 mt of co-processed CNSL VLSFO. The product was supplied by Vitol Bunkers and procured by Olam Agri’s ocean freight business.

The fuel was subsequently consumed during a voyage from Caofeidian (China) to Rotterdam (Netherlands), followed by a ballast leg from Rotterdam to Barcarena (Brazil).

Total fuel consumption across the voyage comprised 1,354 mt of VLSFO, 101 mt of MGO and 34.1 mt of co-processed VLSFO. The vessel completed the voyage without any operational remarks, confirming the product’s performance in real-world conditions.

The operation marks a significant step forward in the search for practical, scalable alternatives to conventional marine fuels, and demonstrates that meaningful greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions can be achieved without any change to vessel operations.

Martin Fynbo, Head of Bunkers at Olam Agri’s ocean freight business, said: “The successful deployment of this product, achieving verified greenhouse gas mitigation alongside ensuring operational integrity, serves as a definitive proof of concept. This milestone provides validation to a traditionally risk-averse sector, demonstrating that a previously disregarded bio-product solution can both be operationally viable and sustainable.”

Sherman Yeo, Trading Manager, Vitol Bunkers, said: “This operation proves that co-processed VLSFO can be delivered and consumed at sea without any compromise to vessel performance or operational routine. The mass balance solution we have developed opens up a genuinely new avenue for GHG reduction in marine fuels.”

The co-processed VLSFO carries a GHG intensity of 2.02 gCO2eq/MJ, delivering savings of at least 120 MT CO2eq compared with conventional VLSFO on an equivalent basis. This outcome was achieved with no additional onboard handling or fuel treatment requirements.

Vitol’s co-processing and mass balancing methodology resolves a longstanding challenge in the use of CNSL as a marine biofuel. Direct blending of CNSL has historically been dismissed by the industry due to material compatibility and handling issues. By co-processing CNSL within the refinery stream, Vitol has opened a commercially viable pathway for CNSL to contribute to GHG reduction in shipping.

The co-processed VLSFO used in this operation conforms to RMG380 VLSFO grade and has the same chemical composition and quality as conventional fuel, eliminating the need for additional permissions or special clauses in charter party agreements.

“CNSL, derived as a by-product of cashew processing, represents an underutilised feedstock with genuine potential as a scalable marine biofuel component,” Olam Agri added.

“This trial demonstrates that with the right processing approach, it can be integrated into existing supply chains without disruption.”

Photo credit: Vitol
Published: 21 August, 2026

Alternative Fuels

China: CIMC Enric and Sinopec to team up on LNG, methanol bunker fuels in new deal

Under the new agreement, the companies will deepen cooperation across the LNG value chain and develop bunkering solutions including truck-to-ship bunkering services.

Published

6 hours ago

August 21, 2026

Admin

China: CIMC Enric and Sinopec to team up on LNG, methanol bunker fuels in new deal

Clean energy equipment and services provider CIMC Enric on Monday (17 August) said it has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Sinopec Fuel Oil Sales Co Ltd, covering LNG, green methanol, shipbuilding and new energy for marine applications.

Under the new agreement, the companies will deepen cooperation across the LNG value chain and develop bunkering solutions including truck-to-ship bunkering services. They also plan to expand into emerging marine fuels and energy solutions, including green methanol and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The partnership will focus on five areas: energy-resource cooperation, shipbuilding, marine-fuel bunkering, vehicle-related services and integrated services.

The agreement was signed in Shenzhen on 14 August by Yang Xiaohu, executive director and president of CIMC Enric, and Xu Tao, deputy general manager and Party committee member of Sinopec Fuel Oil.

The cooperation will span commercial implementation, industry development and technology innovation.

The partnership comes as the shipping industry accelerates its transition towards lower-carbon fuels amid tightening International Maritime Organization emissions regulations and China’s carbon-reduction goals.

CIMC Enric specialises in equipment for the clean-energy sector, while Sinopec Fuel Oil leverages the resource and supply network of China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec). Both said their complementary capabilities provide a basis for moving beyond a conventional equipment-supply relationship towards broader cooperation integrating equipment, fuels, applications and technology.

The two companies began working together in October 2022, initially focusing on LNG and CNG storage and transportation equipment. Their cooperation has since expanded into marine equipment, green methanol bunkering, storage and transportation equipment, and external gas-source procurement.

The companies said they will establish a regular cooperation mechanism and develop detailed projects to accelerate implementation. The partnership is intended to strengthen collaboration between energy-equipment and energy-supply companies and support the maritime industry’s transition towards lower-carbon fuels.

Photo credit: CIMC Enric
Published: 21 August, 2026

Ammonia

Azane signs ammonia bunkering deal with Equinor, first deliveries due in H2 2026

Both signed a framework agreement for the supply of ammonia and the execution of truck-to-ship ammonia bunkering operations for ammonia-fuelled vessels.

Published

6 hours ago

August 21, 2026

Admin

Azane signs ammonia bunkering deal with Equinor, first deliveries due in H2 2026

Azane Fuel Solutions (Azane) on Thursday (20 August) said it has signed a framework agreement with Equinor Energy AS for the supply of ammonia and the execution of truck-to-ship ammonia bunkering operations for ammonia-fuelled vessels.

The first deliveries will commence during the second half of 2026. The agreement establishes a framework for future ammonia fuel deliveries and bunkering operations supporting the maritime industry’s transition towards lower-emission solutions.

“This agreement marks an important milestone for Azane and demonstrates growing confidence in ammonia as a marine fuel,” said Steinar Kostøl, CEO of Azane.

“Truck-to-ship bunkering offers a practical and flexible solution for the early adoption of ammonia-fuelled vessels while the broader ammonia fuel ecosystem continues to develop.”

The agreement covers truck-to-ship ammonia bunkering operations, where ammonia is transported to the quayside and transferred directly to the receiving vessel.

The contract supports Azane’s strategy of enabling near-term deployment of ammonia as a marine fuel while continuing to develop dedicated ammonia infrastructure for future market growth.

Photo credit: Azane Fuel Solutions
Published: 21 August, 2026