MASH Makes to trial bio bunker fuel on DS Norden vessel in Singapore

MASH Makes, a firm specialising in turning waste resources into sustainable commodities, on Monday (8 July) said its biofuel will be trialled on one of DS Norden’s live vessels in Singapore later this summer. 

This came following recent engine trials by FVTR GmbH, a development service provider in thermal processes and machines, that showed its biofuel is compatible with the shipping industry’s stringent ISO 8217 fuel standard.

The successful engine test achieved several milestones for a B20 VLSFO blend:

• The engine consistently delivered the required power, indicating stable combustion
• There was no increase in carbon monoxide levels, suggesting that the spray pattern, mixture formation and combustion process were not negatively impacted.
• Nitrous oxide emissions were comparable to those from fossil fuels.
• The fuel injection system operated smoothly without any clogging, polymerization, deposit formation or wear.
• The fossil blend oil was VLSFO compliant with ISO 8217 standards, and the test covered a wide range of injection pressures (from 1000 to 1600 bar) and loads (from 0% to 100%).
• The specific fuel oil consumption did not increase compared to fossil fuel usage. In addition, even a slight decrease in exhaust temperature could be measured.

Henrik Røjel, Head of Decarbonisation & Climate Solutions at DS NORDEN, said: “These results confirm the quality of MASH Makes’ biofuel as a viable new sustainable fuel for shipping. We’re excited to be part of this journey together with MASH Makes’ and provide new sustainable fuel options that will support decarbonisation in shipping and other critical industries.” 

MASH Makes said the biofuel industry has used the cashew value chain for feedstock for many years with mixed results.

“In contrast to other cashew-based biofuels, our fuel is an entirely new product from a unique thermochemical process that uses residues left after cashew nut shell liquid (CSNL) production. This is a novel pathway for scalable biofuel production using pyrolysis and low-intensity, low-cost upgrading,” the firm said.

“CSNL has been tested as a fuel for over a decade but has proven unreliable due to polymerisation effects thus causing issues for shipowners. In contrast, MASH Makes fuel does not exhibit these problems and is a higher-grade product.”

Photo credit: DS Norden
Published: 9 July, 2024