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Aspen Institute, Amazon, Patagonia, Tchibo launch Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance

Plans to issue RfP to forward procure maritime shipping services that achieve zero or near-zero emissions, for all greenhouse gases, not limited to carbon dioxide.
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The Aspen Institute, Amazon, Patagonia, and Tchibo on Thursday (9 March) launched the Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA) to accelerate maritime shipping decarbonisation.

As a non-profit organization and initiative of Cargo Owners for Zero Emissions Vessels (coZEV), the mission of ZEMBA is to enable companies to access zero-emission shipping solutions that are not currently available.

Through ZEMBA, freight buyers will accelerate the commercial deployment of zero-emission shipping, enable economies of scale, and help minimize maritime emissions.

By working together, ZEMBA members will offer committed demand to build confidence among investors, carriers, ship owners, and producers of zero-emission marine fuels and renewable energy.

“The Aspen Institute is inspired by industry leaders like Amazon, Patagonia, and Tchibo who are advancing solutions that will help us achieve full maritime decarbonisation,” said Dan Porterfield, President and CEO of the Aspen Institute. “Through ZEMBA, we look forward to partnering with additional freight buyers to catalyze the maritime industry’s clean energy future.”

By providing committed demand for new marine fuels and technologies needed for the nascent market for clean shipping, ZEMBA’s efforts can also help create new and sustainable worldwide economic models in renewable energy, zero-emission marine fuel production, infrastructure, and clean maritime services.

“Removing the climate impact of hard-to-abate sectors, such as maritime shipping, requires continuous collaboration, investment, and innovation – which is why we joined ZEMBA,” said Kara Hurst, Vice President of Worldwide Sustainability at Amazon. “Through ZEMBA, we are taking important steps forward together with other cargo owners to unblock challenges, accelerate solutions, and create the demand needed to decarbonize maritime shipping and support a clean energy transition.”

“The climate crisis is an existential threat, and we need all sectors of society working together to save the planet,” said Todd Soller, Head of Global Supply Chain at Patagonia. “Patagonia relies on ocean cargo shipping to transport materials and finished products around the world, and we depend on partners and initiatives like ZEMBA to help scale solutions for businesses to radically reduce their carbon emissions.”

“Tchibo is on a great path to achieve our own emission targets by 2030,” said Werner Weber, CEO of Tchibo GmbH, “but for Scope 3, we need scalable solutions now. Supporting ZEMBA gives us the opportunity to address the emissions from our logistics, which represent approximately 13% of our overall footprint. The entire maritime value chain, including cargo owners like Tchibo, has to demonstrate leadership in creating a decarbonized maritime sector. ZEMBA represents an actionable pathway to join forces with other cargo owners to lower and eventually eliminate our Scope 3 emissions from maritime.”

ZEMBA plans to issue a Request for Proposal (RfP) in 2023 to forward procure maritime shipping services that achieve zero or near-zero emissions on a lifecycle basis, for all greenhouse gases, not limited to carbon dioxide. The delivery of these services will be expected to start in 2025 or 2026.

Freight buyers are invited to join ZEMBA as a way to access zero-emission shipping. Shipping lines, in partnership with their fuel suppliers, are encouraged to prepare to participate in the RfP and seize the opportunity to lead, innovate, and shape the future of the maritime shipping industry.

As ZEMBA membership grows in the coming years, ZEMBA plans to run similar tenders with larger volumes of demand until zero-emission shipping becomes mainstream in the industry.

“Decisively shifting to zero emission maritime alternatives makes good business sense in a changing world where the business-as-usual approach no longer aligns with the values of many consumers around the world,” said Ingrid Irigoyen, President and CEO of ZEMBA and Director of the Aspen Shipping Decarbonization Initiative at the Aspen Institute.

“ZEMBA’s co-founders realise that we have an opportunity now to ensure that this clean energy transition in shipping works for businesses that depend on reliable, affordable, and environmentally responsible maritime transport into the future.”

 

Photo credit: Cargo Owners for Zero Emissions Vessels
Published: 10 March, 2023

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Biofuel

NYK to launch Japan’s first antioxidant for biodiesel bunker fuel in August

When added to biofuel, BioxiGuard slows progression of oxidative degradation and helps deter issues such as metal corrosion, strainer blockage, and cleaning-system fouling often triggered by oxidised fuel.
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May 22, 2025

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Japan’s first antioxidant by NYK for biodiesel bunker fuel set to release in August

Nippon Yuka Kogyo (Nippon Yuka), an NYK Group company specialising in chemical R&D as well as the manufacture and sale of chemical products, on Wednesday (21 May) announced the upcoming release of BioxiGuard, the Japan’s first antioxidant specially developed for marine biodiesel, from 10 August.

NYK said compared with conventional petroleum-based fuels, biofuel contains a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, making it more susceptible to oxidative degradation. Once oxidised, the biofuel can produce acidic substances and sludge, adversely affecting vessel fuel efficiency by reducing the fuel’s calorific value.

Developed by Nippon Yuka based on property analyses of the biofuel used in NYK-operated vessels, BioxiGuard is specifically formulated to enhance the oxidation stability of biodiesel. When added to biofuel, BioxiGuard slows the progression of oxidative degradation and helps deter issues such as metal corrosion, strainer blockage, and cleaning-system fouling often triggered by oxidised fuel.

According to laboratory tests conducted by Nippon Yuka researchers, the addition of BioxiGuard at a concentration of 1 part per 500 resulted in an approximate 50% reduction in the rate of biofuel degradation compared to untreated biofuel. 

This significant improvement underscores the potential for vessel operators to not only extend the useful life of biofuel on board but also maintain more stable and cost-effective vessel operations.

 

Photo credit: NYK
Published: 22 May, 2025

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Newbuilding

Höegh Autoliners latest LNG dual-fuel PCTC en route to Shanghai for bunkering

The 9,100 CEU “Höegh Sunrise”, currently sailing the seas, is on its way to Shanghai for bunkering before sailing to Japan and then towards Europe.

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May 22, 2025

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Höegh Autoliners latest LNG dual-fuel PCTC en route to Shanghai for bunkering

Höegh Autoliners on Tuesday (20 May) said its latest liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel pure car and truck carrier has departed China Merchants Heavy Industry’s yard, ready to commence its commercial operations.

The 9,100 CEU Höegh Sunrise, currently sailing the seas, is on its way to Shanghai for bunkering before sailing to Japan and then towards Europe. 

The PCTC is the fifth in a series of 12 Aurora Class vessels built by the shipyard in China. The first eight Auroras are or will be equipped with engines primed to run on LNG and low-sulphur oil. 

These vessels can be converted to run on ammonia later. By 2027, Höegh Autoliners said the four last vessels of the series will be able to run net zero on ammonia directly from the yard when delivered.

Manifold Times previously reported the naming ceremony of Höegh Autoliner’s fourth Aurora Class newbuild, Höegh Sunlight, at Taicang Haitong Auto Terminal.

Related: Höegh Autoliners names LNG-powered RoRo ship “Höegh Sunlight” in China|
Related: Gasum completes SIMOPS LNG bunkering operation of PCTC “Höegh Sunlight”

 

Photo credit: Höegh Autoliners
Published: 22 May, 2025

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Alternative Fuels

UECC: Liquefied biomethane bunker fuel to enable compliance surplus under FuelEU

Company says bunkering liquefied biomethane will give it a significant compliance surplus under FuelEU that can be monetised through the regulation’s pooling mechanism.
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May 22, 2025

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UECC: Liquefied biomethane bunker fuel to enable compliance surplus under FuelEU

United European Car Carriers (UECC) on Monday (19 May) said bunkering liquefied biomethane (LBM), also known as bio-LNG, will give it a significant compliance surplus under FuelEU that can be monetised through the regulation’s pooling mechanism.

UECC’s Senior Manager of Business Planning & Sustainability, Masanori Nagashima, said bio-LNG is now seen by the company as the key fuel to achieve its target of a 45% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030 versus a 2014 baseline and net zero by 2040 – ahead of the 2050 deadline set by both the IMO and EU.

The marine fuel is being bunkered on UECC’s dual and multi-fuel LNG PCTCs – three of which have battery hybrid capability – under Sail for Change that was launched by UECC last year and currently has participation by automotive giants including Toyota, Ford and JLR. 

The company also has on order two multi-fuel LNG battery hybrid newbuild PCTCs due for delivery in 2028 that could be enlisted into the programme. 

The overall carbon intensity of the UECC fleet, using the same gCO2e/MJ (grams of CO2 equivalent per megajoule) metric as FuelEU, is calculated at 68 gCO2e/MJ to achieve an interim target of a 25% carbon intensity reduction in 2025, though the company is expected to achieve 57 gCO2e/MJ this year based on its supply plan, according to Nagashima.

This is significantly below the current FuelEU threshold of 89.3 gCO2e/MJ – a 2% reduction from the baseline of 91.16 gCO2e/MJ – and still lower than the threshold of 77.9 gCO2e/MJ from 2035 that is a 14.5% reduction versus the baseline figure.

“The low carbon intensity of our fleet means all of our vessels are expected to gain a C rating or above with the IMO’s Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII)” Nagashima explained.

“It also gives us a significant compliance surplus under FuelEU that can be monetised through the regulation’s pooling mechanism, allowing a great commercial opportunity to offset regulatory costs for customers and eliminate FuelEU surcharges.”

“UECC will continue to accelerate its progress in improving decarbonisation of its fleet by further optimising our fuel mix strategy going forward to incorporate more high-impact fuels as these become viable.”

 

Photo credit: Titan Clean Fuels
Published: 22 May, 2025

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