Norden performs first bio bunker fuel voyage out of US after Houston bunkering

DS Norden, global provider of ocean-based freight services, on Friday (9 May) said it has performed its first ever biofuel voyage out of the US in collaboration with its customer, independent renewable energy producer Albioma. 

The ISCC EU certified B24 biofuel blend, consisting of 24% biofuel and 76% VLSFO conventional marine fuel, was bunkered in the port of Houston, Texas prior to loading 30,000 metric tonnes (mt) of wood pellets in Mobile, Alabama. 

The biofuel was used on a voyage to the island of Réunion, a department of France situated in the Indian Ocean, where the wood pellets were discharged on behalf of Albioma.

With a new biofuel supplier in place, Norden can now provide customers trading out of the US with biofuel, supporting its ambition to lower customers’ supply chain emissions. 

Mikkel Marconi, Commercial Lead Biofuel at Norden, said: “Until now, we have not been able to source biofuel in the US, living up to NORDEN’s high standards.

“With a new bunker collaboration, we are now able to further accelerate our ambition to lower our customers’ supply chain emissions in the here and now in a new region. Thanks to Albioma for entrusting us with the responsibility to lower their emissions.” 

Henrik Røjel, Head of Decarbonisation & Climate Solutions at Norden, said: “We are pleased to perform yet another biofuel voyage for a customer looking to decarbonise their supply chains.

“During recent years, we have seen an increasing demand from customers to use biofuel, validating our many years of work and strategic investments in biofuel as a way to instantly reduce emissions in the here and now.”

In 2023, Norden acquired a minority stake in the biofuel scale-up MASH Makes, strengthening our future supply of renewable fuels. 

Last year, the company launched a Book & Claim solution, enabling us to allocate emission reductions made on Norden’s biofuel voyages to customers with a maritime supply chain, even when biofuels are not physically available to be bunkered on a specific trading route or voyage.  

Manifold Times previously reported Norden completing the “first ever” 100% biofuel (B100) bunkering in Singapore.

Related: NORDEN buys stake in biofuel producer to bring biooil products to bunker fuel market
Related: DS Norden completes first B100 biofuel bunkering in Singapore

Photo credit: Norden
Published: 13 May, 2025