Connect with us

Alternative Fuels

New study assesses role of technologies in tracing the true carbon intensity of sustainable bunker fuels

Report highlights the role of technology in enabling the shipping industry to develop specific mechanisms to track, verify and assure the true carbon intensity of sustainable marine fuels.
Admin

Published

4 years ago

on

post 55354

Lloyd Register (LR) on Wednesday (18 January) said LR Maritime Decarbonisation Hub and Safetytech Accelerator published a new report highlighting the role of technology in enabling the shipping industry to develop specific mechanisms to track, verify and assure the true carbon intensity of sustainable marine fuels.

Shipping’s decarbonisation is focused on delivering alternative fuels that significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, to be sure that alternative fuels can achieve the GHG reductions needed, emissions from the end-to-end supply chain of these fuels must also be measured, from the resource used to produce the fuels, to their consumption onboard the ship.

The key challenge facing the industry is that ship operators can lack visibility over the supply chain responsible for producing, delivering and bunkering a fuel used on their ships. A marine fuel can be presented as carbon-neutral, but could release substantial emissions when measured on a life-cycle assessment or well-to-wake basis.

Furthermore, alternative fuels may take diverse grey or blue production routes, thus delivering fuels that are often blended, mixed or re-labelled during transportation and distribution before they reach their final users. Consequently, there is no guarantee that fuel bunkered retains the same carbon footprint as the fuel that left the production facility.

For this reason, the LR Maritime Decarbonisation Hub and Safetytech Accelerator have explored technologies that can track the true carbon intensity of hydrogen and ammonia, two of the most promising long-term alternative bunker fuel candidates for shipping’s energy transition.

Working with two technology vendors, TYMLEZ and Authentix, the collaboration resulted in a joint report, Tracing the true carbon intensity of sustainable marine fuels which examines new methods of tracing information on how a fuel is being produced, from the source of the electricity used in the production process, to the delivery of an un-altered final product.

The first method is through the TYMLEZ solution, which utilises a ‘guarantee of origin’ (GO) scheme where each unit of hydrogen or ammonia is certified through a live facility data platform that can capture emissions data during the production process, such as water and fuel usage and grid electricity consumption. Blockchain technology is deployed for green hydrogen and green ammonia tracking systems.

Following the production and supply of the fuel that is accompanied with a GO certificate, the second method is applied through the Authentix approach, which offers downstream assurance. The Authentix solution can account for any blending or miss-labelling of the fuel through the use of a synthetic marker system, where the fuel is evaluated via chemical detection of the origin of the fuel, as well as any occurred dilution.

Given the varied production routes of sustainable marine fuels, it is essential to develop new carbon tracing authentication methods to ensure that the new fuels purchased are being produced, transported and stored in a way that will deliver emissions performance expectations.

Charles Haskell, LR Maritime Decarbonisation Hub Director, said: “The complexity of the marine fuel supply chain, with its diverse production methods, presents significant challenges to the shipping industry as the definition of sustainability is extended to include all stages of well-to-wake emissions. We hope that this joint study can serve as the basis for synergies and pilot projects to emerge and further contribute to the discussions for the development of new industry standards that can authentically validate the environmental and commercial impact of these new fuels.”

Dr. Maurizio Pilu, Safetytech Accelerator Managing Director, said: “The assurance of new green fuels, whether in terms of safety, origin, carbon footprint, is going to be a key component of the journey towards maritime decarbonisation. The right technologies could make the assurance process cost-effective, reliable and scalable. I am pleased that Safetytech Accelerator had the opportunity to collaborate with the Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub and the Authentix and Tymlez to understand how technologies such as theirs, could be used in future assurance processes.”

Daniel O’Halloran, Executive Chairman of TYMLEZ, said: “We are extremely excited by the release of this report as it showcases the role of technologies such as the TYMLEZ Platform in the decarbonisation of the maritime industry. The guarantee of origin of sustainable fuels such as green hydrogen and green ammonia will be paramount for proving decarbonisation efforts across the industry. It is therefore vital that technologies that can verify the origin and green credentials of these fuels with total trust and transparency be utilised. The TYMLEZ Guarantee of Origin solution detailed in this report provides shipowners and operators total assurance over the sustainability credentials of the fuels they’re using to power their vessels.”

Jim Seely, Vice President of Solutions for Authentix, said: “We have been a pioneer in fuel quality and authentication since our beginnings 27 years ago and this continues today. We are excited to be involved in this innovative project to provide the most advanced technology available for the assurance and verification of green fuels required by the maritime industry in its long-term goal toward decarbonisation.”

Note: Download the report here and sign up to join a webinar here on January 31 at 09h00 GMT where the study’s collaborators will discuss the findings.

 

Photo credit: Lloyd Register
Published: 19 January, 2023

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Biofuel

South Korea: S-Oil launches B30-VLSFO bio bunker fuel supply

Company says it has established an integrated operating system in the Ulsan region covering the entire value chain, from feedstock procurement and blending to supply.
Admin

Published

4 hours ago

on

July 23, 2026

By

South Korea: S-Oil launches B30-VLSFO bio bunker fuel supply

South Korean petroleum and refining company S-Oil on Wednesday (22 July) said it has started supplying B30 very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), as the company seeks to support shipping’s decarbonisation efforts and growing demand for lower-carbon bunker fuels.

The company said its B30 VLSFO contains 30% sustainable biofuel blended with conventional VLSFO and can be used without requiring modifications to existing vessels, enabling shipowners to comply more readily with emissions regulations from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Union (EU).

S-Oil said it has established an integrated operating system in the Ulsan region covering the entire value chain, from feedstock procurement and blending to supply. The system combines VLSFO produced at its Onsan refinery with biofuel production facilities and storage infrastructure in the Ulsan region, allowing the entire process to be carried out within a single logistics hub.

According to the company, the integrated supply chain reduces transportation requirements during production while improving supply efficiency and reliability.

S-Oil also highlighted Ulsan Port as a strategic location for marine biofuel supply, noting the port has strong demand for bio-bunker fuels, particularly from car carriers, enabling prompt and stable deliveries to key customers.

An S-Oil official stated: “In the bio-marine fuel market, not only product quality but also securing a stable supply of raw materials and an efficient supply system are important competitive advantages.

“Based on our existing bunkering business capabilities and the excellent supply infrastructure in the Onsan area, we plan to supply stable and competitive low-carbon fuel.”

 

Photo credit: S-Oil
Published: 23 July, 2026

Continue Reading

Bunker Fuel

Antwerp-Bruges biofuel bunker sales drops 36% on year in Q2 2026, LNG down 13.4%

Biofuel recorded 26,833 mt in Q2 2026 with 41,939 mt recorded in the same period the year before while port data showed 76,513 mt of LNG being delivered in Q2 2026, down from 88,328 mt.
Admin

Published

4 hours ago

on

July 23, 2026

By

Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Deurganck Dock

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges recently published bunker fuel sales data for the second quarter (Q2) of 2026.

Total bunker sales at the port was 2.05 million metric tonnes (mt) in Q2 2026, compared to sales of 1.99 million mt (+3%) during the similar period in 2025.

Deliveries of ultra low sulphur fuel oil, very low sulphur fuel oil, high sulphur fuel oil and marine gas oil in Q2 2026 (against on year) recorded respectively 164,987 mt (+43.6%  from 114,917 mt), 537,926 mt (+12.8% from 476,746 mt), 659,182 mt (+11.6% from 590,544 mt) and 366,329 (-15.7% from 434,766 mt).

Biofuel recorded 26,833 mt in Q2 2026 with 41,939 mt (-36%) recorded in the same period the year before. 

Port data showed 76,513 mt of liquefied natural gas (LNG) being delivered as a marine fuel in Q2 2026, down by 13.4% from 88,328 mt in Q2 2025. Meanwhile, there has been no deliveries of methanol at the port for the year so far.

Related: Antwerp-Bruges biofuel bunker sales plunge 50.6% on year in Q1 2026, LNG soars 214%

 

Photo credit: Port of Antwerp-Bruges
Published: 23 July, 2026

Continue Reading

Methanol

World Fuel and partners complete first green methanol bunkering of car carrier in Shanghai

Operation involved the delivery of approximately 2,800 MT of green methanol to “Arctic Tern” via a ship-to-ship transfer using SIPG Energy’s dedicated methanol bunkering vessel “M/V Hai Gang Zhi Yuan”.
Admin

Published

1 day ago

on

July 22, 2026

By

World Fuel and partners complete first green methanol bunkering of car carrier in Shanghai

Marine fuel provider World Fuel on Tuesday (21 July) said it successfully completed the first green methanol bunkering of M/V Arctic Tern, with EUKOR Car Carriers and SIPG Energy at the Port of Shanghai. 

Arctic Tern is the first vessel in the new Shaper Class series of car carriers. 

The operation involved the delivery of approximately 2,800 MT of green methanol to Arctic Tern via a ship-to-ship transfer using SIPG Energy’s dedicated methanol bunkering vessel M/V Hai Gang Zhi Yuan, the largest vessel of its kind in operation. 

The bunkering operation was carried out at Haitong Terminal, Waigaoqiao Port Area, Shanghai Port, with cargo handling operations conducted simultaneously during bunkering.

This marks EUKOR Car Carriers’ first green methanol operation and the first time Arctic Tern has bunkered methanol since its delivery on 9 July. The operation marked the first bunkering at Shanghai Port of green methanol produced locally in Shanghai for an international PCTC operator. 

It also demonstrated the city’s integrated green methanol value chain, spanning local production, storage and bunkering, and established a replicable “Shanghai Model” for green methanol supply.

World Fuel arranged the supply and delivery of the fuel on behalf of EUKOR Car Carriers, working with SIPG Energy as the physical supplier at the Port of Shanghai.

The green methanol supplied was produced from municipal solid waste, ISCC-EU certified, and had a carbon intensity value below 25 gCO₂e/MJ.

Arctic Tern is the first of fourteen Shaper Class vessels ordered by Wallenius Wilhelmsen. With a capacity of 9,300 car equivalent units and methanol dual-fuel capability, the vessel will be operated by EUKOR Car Carriers, jointly owned by Wallenius Wilhelmsen and Hyundai Motor Group. Following her first green methanol bunkering, Arctic Tern will continue her maiden voyage from Asia to Europe.

Xavier Leroi, COO Shipping Services at Wallenius Wilhelmsen and CEO of EUKOR Car Carriers, said: “Completing Arctic Tern’s first green methanol bunkering shortly after delivery is a significant milestone towards our decarbonisation ambition for both EUKOR Car Carriers and Wallenius Wilhelmsen. It demonstrates how investments in next-generation vessel technology and fuel flexibility are being translated into real-world operations. 

“This achievement reflects the strong collaboration between all parties involved. Together, we have shown how partnerships across the maritime value chain can help make lower-emission fuels available and operationally viable at scale.”

Mark Tamsitt, SVP Global Marine Sales at World Fuel, said, “The first bunkering event with a new fuel is a significant moment for any shipowner, and our role is to make it as seamless as possible. By connecting EUKOR Car Carriers with SIPG Energy’s proven green methanol capability at the Port of Shanghai, we were able to deliver on reliable supply, fuel quality, and safe processes. As more of our customers bring methanol dual-fuel tonnage into service, we are committed to being the partner that makes these kinds of operations routine.”

Mr. Zhang Da, General Manager of SIPG Energy, said, “Welcoming Arctic Tern to the Port of Shanghai for her first green methanol bunkering demonstrates the strength and maturity of our supply capability. Building on our well-established methanol ship-to-ship bunkering services for container vessels, we have already extended such services to pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs). This bunkering sets a new record for the largest single SIMOPs green methanol bunkering for PCTCs in China, marking another step in building Shanghai’s position as a global green energy hub for international shipping.”

This operation follows Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s announcement on 9 July that Arctic Tern would complete her first methanol bunkering shortly after delivery. The vessel entered service on routes between Asia and Europe immediately following handover from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Nanjing.

 

Photo credit: World Fuel
Published: 22 July, 2026

Continue Reading

Trending