Nippon Biofuels supplies jatropha-based biofuel blend for RoRo trial in Japan
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by Admin
Japan’s Nippon Biofuels recently said it has supplied a jatropha-based biofuel blend, produced in Africa, to a Kuribayashi Steamship-operated RoRo vessel for a trial in Shinagawa Wharf, Tokyo in Japan.
The fuel used in this test is jatropha oil produced at Nippon Biofuels’s own plantations in Africa with the company working to build supply chains there, from cultivation to fuel production.
The trial involved the use of a biofuel blend comprising approximately 10% Jatropha-derived straight vegetable oil (SVO) mixed with conventional heavy fuel oil on a RoRo vessel operating on a domestic shipping route over a seven-day period.
According to the Embassy of the Republic of Ghana in Tokyo, The demonstration was conducted under a feasibility study supported by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) as part of the Global South Future-Oriented Co-Creation Project.
It assessed the use of jatropha-derived SVO as an alternative fuel for maritime transport, in line with global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the shipping sector.
“Preliminary findings indicate that the fuel can be utilised with minimal modification to existing vessel systems, offering a cost-effective and scalable alternative to more processed biofuels,” it said in a social media post.
“The initiative contributes to global decarbonisation efforts and supports compliance with emissions targets set by the International Maritime Organization.”
For Ghana, the project presents opportunities to position itself as a supplier of sustainable biofuel feedstock and to participate in emerging green energy value chains. It also has potential benefits for rural development through Jatropha cultivation.
During discussions, Nippon Biofuel Co., Ltd. indicated plans to expand jatropha cultivation in Ghana, particularly in the Bono Region, and to explore the establishment of a biodiesel processing facility to support local value addition.
Photo credit: Nippon Biofuels
Published: 23 March, 2026
