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Alternative Fuels

Petrobras conducts Brazil’s first biofuel blend bunkering on “Darcy Ribeiro”

Transpetro’s “Darcy Ribeiro” was refuelled with a new, lower carbon footprint fuel which is a mixture of 90% bunker volume of mineral origin and 10% of biodiesel.
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Brazilian state-controlled oil and gas producer Petrobras on Saturday (31 December) carried out the first bunker delivery with renewable content in the country at the Rio Grande Terminal (Terig), in Rio Grande do Sul.

Transpetro’s Darcy Ribeiro vessel was refuelled with the new, lower carbon footprint fuel, a mixture of 90% bunker volume of mineral origin and 10% of biodiesel. 

The purpose of the test is to evaluate the use of the bunker with renewable content for two months and the logistical challenges associated with the use of the product.

The renewable fraction of the new fuel has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in relation to the bunker when considered over the full life cycle. The estimated percentage reduction of CO2 equivalent emissions from this mixture is around 7%.

In the first stage of the project, during the tests carried out in the laboratory of the Petrobras Research and Development Center (Cenpes), no impacts were found in meeting the main properties of the bunker specification.  

The assessment of the burning quality and the stability of the mixture indicated the approval for the field test in a sea vessel. It is expected that the operation of the ship will confirm the laboratory results and will be uneventful in the performance of the engines, filters, and fuel purification systems.

As of January, the IMO 2023 initiative will come into force, aiming at fostering the improvement of ship efficiency and the adoption of fuels with low carbon emissions.

“With the IMO 2023 seal, vessels will be certified and ranked according to the level of energy efficiency and Transpetro has been investing in several solutions in recent years, with a focus on taking our fleet to the best levels of efficiency”, said Sea and Land Engineering and Technology Director at Transpetro, Jair Toledo. 

“In order to achieve that, we invested in several improvements. We have installed propeller and hull appendages on our fleet vessels, as well as conducted operational optimisation actions, among others, which allowed for a 7% reduction in emissions in 2022 when compared to 2021, which is an important proof of the advances made in our journey towards the evolution of energy efficiency”, he said.  

In the maritime sector, depending on the percentage of biodiesel mixed with the fuel, little or no adaptation is required on the vessels, which makes adopting this new product easier. With the field test, Petrobras will take another step towards contributing to selling fuels with less impact on the environment.

Petrobras is set to invest USD 4.4 billion in projects focused on energy transition, aimed at low carbon initiatives, under the new Strategic Plan from 2023 to 2027. 

“We are working on a new generation of more efficient products and fuels, with lower greenhouse gas emissions, in line with the demands of our society.  The development of the bunker with renewable content is an example of our commitment to the transition to a low-carbon future,” said Commercialisation in the Internal Market Executive Manager Sandro Barreto.

 

Photo credit: Petrobras
Published: 10 January, 2023

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Bunker Fuel

Singapore: Bunker fuel sales soar by 7.5% on year in June 2025

4.59 million mt of various marine fuel grades were delivered at the world’s largest bunkering port in June, up from 4.27 million mt recorded during the similar month in 2024, according to MPA.

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Singapore: Bunker fuel sales soar by 7.5% on year in June 2025

Sales of marine fuel at Singapore port increased by 7.5% on year in June 2025, according to Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) data.

In total, 4.59 million metric tonnes (mt) (exact 4,594,700 mt) of various marine fuel grades were delivered at the world’s largest bunkering port in June, up from 4.27 million mt (4,274,900 mt) recorded during the similar month in 2024.

Deliveries of marine fuel oil, low sulphur fuel oil, ultra low sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in June (against on year) recorded respectively 1.70 million mt (+8.6% from 1.56 million mt), 2.31 million mt (-7.2% from 2.33 million mt), 1,900 mt (from zero), 4,500 mt (-88% from 8,000 mt) and zero (from zero).

Singapore: Bunker fuel sales soar by 7.5% on year in June 2025

Bio-blended variants of marine fuel oil, low sulphur fuel oil, ultra low sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in June (against on year) recorded respectively 38,800 mt (+671.7% from 2,500 mt), 114,300 mt (+97.9% from 45,400 mt), zero (from zero), zero (from zero) and zero (from zero). B100 biofuel bunkers, introduced in February this year, recorded 1,000 mt of deliveries in June.

LNG and methanol sales were respectively 55,400 mt (-7.8% from 51,700) and zero (from zero mt). There were no recorded sales of ammonia for the month and so far in 2025.

Related: Singapore: Bunker sales volume raises to year record high of 4.88 million mt in May
Related: Singapore: Bunker fuel sales increase by 4% on year in April 2025
Related: Singapore: Bunker fuel sales increase by 0.5% on year in March 2025
Related: Singapore: Bunker fuel sales down by 8.1% on year in February 2025
Related: Singapore: Bunker fuel sales down by 9.1% on year in January 2025

A complete series of articles on Singapore bunker volumes reported by Manifold Times tracked since 2018 can be found via the link here.

 

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 15 July 2025

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Alternative Fuels

ITOCHU orders world’s first ammonia bunkering vessel for Singapore demonstration project

Company contracted Sasaki Shipbuilding to build the 5,000 m3 vessel and Izumi Steel Works to construct an ammonia tank plant that will be loaded onto the vessel, which is expected to be delivered in 2027.

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ITOCHU orders world’s first ammonia bunkering vessel for Singapore demonstration project

ITOCHU Corporation (ITOCHU) on Monday (14 July) announced that it recently signed a shipbuilding contract for the construction of a 5,000 m3 ammonia bunkering vessel with Sasaki Shipbuilding. 

The company also announced an agreement regarding the construction of an ammonia tank plant that will be loaded onto the vessel with Izumi Steel Works. 

These agreements were signed by Clean Ammonia Bunkering Shipping Pte Ltd (CABS), a wholly owned Singapore-based specific purpose company of ITOCHU. 

In relation to this, CABS has concluded a financing agreement with The Hiroshima Bank for financing a part of purchase price of the vessel.

The agreements were concluded to pursue the Demonstration Project for Bunkering Ammonia as Marine Fuel in Singapore adopted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan as part of the Global South Future-oriented Co-Creation Project (large-scale demonstration in ASEAN member states). 

Going forward, with an eye toward the demonstration of ammonia bunkering in Singapore after building the world’s first newbuilding ammonia bunkering vessel, ITOCHU said efforts will be made to facilitate concrete discussions with the maritime stakeholders, including the port authority in Singapore, the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), and the fuel producers, while obtaining support from the Japanese Government.

The vessel is to be flagged under the Singapore Registry and is expected to be delivered in September 2027.

ITOCHU will establish a safe offshore bunkering operation of ammonia as marine fuel by way of ship-to-ship transfer through the development and construction of the vessel and demonstration. 

Then, by utilising the vessel, ITOCHU will establish connection between the first movers in clean ammonia production and the first movers in the ammonia-fueled vessels and secure initial demand for ammonia as marine fuel, aiming at the commercialisation of ammonia bunkering business in Singapore and expansion of similar business model to major maritime transportation points around the world, including Spain (Strait of Gibraltar), Egypt (Suez Canal) and Japan.

 

Photo credit: ITOCHU Corporation
Published: 15 July 2025

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Biofuel

Chimbusco Pan Nation delivers first B30-MGO bio bunker fuel blend supply in Hong Kong

The supply, delivered to Orient Overseas Container Line, represents the first time OOCL has received this fuel blend in the region; operation also included a simultaneous delivery of B30-HSFO.
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July 15, 2025

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Chimbusco Pan Nation delivers first B30-MGO bio bunker fuel blend supply in Hong Kong

Hong Kong-based marine fuel oil supplier Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical (CPN) on Friday (11 July) announced the first-ever delivery of a B30-Marine Gasoil (B30-MGO) which consists of 30% biodiesel and 70% Marine Gasoil (MGO), in Hong Kong. 

The supply, delivered to Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), represents the first time OOCL has received this fuel blend in the region.

In addition to the B30-MGO, this operation included a simultaneous delivery of B30-High Sulphur Marine Fuel Oil.

“This delivery, completed on 11 July, solidifies CPN’s leadership in advancing green fuel solutions in East Asia. Being the first bunker supplier in the region capable of providing all grades of ISCC-EU Certified marine biofuel, including marine fuel and gas oil, CPN demonstrates its commitment to supporting the maritime industry’s transition to sustainable energy,” the company said on its website. 

 

Photo credit: Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical
Published: 15 July, 2025

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