Alternative Fuels

Port of Rotterdam Authority to reduce own carbon emissions by 90% in 2030

It will ensure that all its vessels will switch completely to bio bunker fuel in the short term with the ambition new vessels will be emission-free from 2025.

Published

3 years ago

June 7, 2022

Admin

The Port of Rotterdam Authority on Thursday (2 June) said it is going to accelerate reduction of its own carbon emissions by 90% in 2030.

Today, most of the CO2 of the Port Authority is emitted by patrol vessels. CO2 is also emitted by the use of cars and buildings. It concerns 4,000 tonnes per year in total.

The Port Authority’s own carbon emissions should be 75% lower in 2025 and 90% lower in 2030 than in 2019.

Eventually, the Port Authority wants its operations to be entirely emission-free.

“We are going to reduce our own carbon emissions as quickly as possible, while compensating in full what we still emit,” says Allard Castelein, CEO Port of Rotterdam Authority.

“So from that perspective, the Port Authority is already carbon neutral as we speak. Because our emissions will be lower and lower in the next few years, the compensation required will also decrease more and more.”

In the past year, the Port Authority used so-called science-based targeting to calculate the emission reduction amount required to pull its weight to keep global warming below the 1.5 degrees celcius limit.

Science-based targeting is a way of translating the Paris Climate Agreement per company into specific targets. With this method, the Port Authority should achieve a reduction of at least 46.2% by 2030 (in comparison with 2019).

As this seems to be technically feasible, however, the Port Authority opts for accelerated reduction of its own emissions by 90% in 2030.

To this end, the Port Authority will ensure that all its vessels will switch completely to biofuel in the short term, and it has the ambition that from 2025 new vessels will be emission-free.

The Port Authority also wants to realise lower carbon emissions in other areas.

Emission caused by its employees’ air travel is to be reduced by 70% in 2025 and by 80% in 2030, as a result of flying less and participation in a biokerosene programme.

Reduction objectives have been formulated for assignments awarded to contractors of the Port Authority as well. In this case, it is about a 45% reduction by 2030 with the use of fuels (especially dredging and earthmoving) and 20% for (construction) materials.

Huge amounts of steel are used in the construction of quay walls, for example. Since its production provisionally involves high carbon emissions, 20% in 2030 seems to be the maximum feasible level.

Reasons for tightening the climate targets include the recent climate studies of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the ‘Fit for 55’ plans of the European Commission, and the Glasgow Climate Summit at which the target of a maximum temperature increase of 1.5 degrees celcius was confirmed.

Industry and shipping

The Port Authority also does its utmost for emission reduction in shipping and industry, although it cannot influence this directly.

This approach is based on two studies by the German Wuppertal Institut from 2017 and 2018 respectively into the emissions of industry and shipping and the transition paths for both sectors.

For shipping in the port management area (which reaches as far as 60km off the coast) the emissions should be reduced by 20% in 2030.

To make this happen, various developments are in progress, like efficiency increase (by optimising logistics processes), the application of shore power (so that berthed ships can switch off their generators and plug in), and bunkering clean fuels (such as LNG, biofuels, and methanol) by shipping.

This should be made possible by projects on capturing CO2 and storing it beneath the North Sea bed (Porthos), construction of pipes for hydrogen and residual heat, and attracting innovative developments, such as the production of green hydrogen and biofuels.

All these projects together amount to some 23 million tonnes of carbon reduction in the port and outside (by the use of biofuels produced there, for example). This is 35% of the Dutch carbon reduction objective for 2030.

Photo credit: Port of Rotterdam
Published: 7 June, 2022

Biofuel

Chimbusco and SPG complete first biofuel bunkering operation in Northern China

Chimbusco’s “DA YUAN YOU 8” tanker refuelled the “HMM VANCOUVER” with 1,300 metric tonnes of B24 biofuel at Qingdao Port.

Published

3 days ago

June 20, 2025

Admin

Chimbusco and SPG achieves first biofuel bunkering operation in Northern China

China Marine Bunker (PetroChina) Co Ltd (Chimbusco) and Shandong Port Group (SPG) recently said they successfully completed the first B24 biofuel bunkering operation in Northern China on 14 June.

Chimbusco’s “DA YUAN YOU 8 ” tanker refuelled the “HMM VANCOUVER” with 1,300 metric tonnes (mt) of B24 biofuel at Qingdao Port.

Chimbusco said the successful bunkering operation not only marks a milestone in the bonded biofuel bunkering business for international voyage vessels in northern China but also represents a critical milestone in the green and low-carbon transformation of the shipping industry around the Bohai Sea and throughout northern China.

B24 biofuel is a blend of 24% waste cooking oil and 76% high-sulphur fuel oil. Authoritatively certified, the company said this fuel can significantly reduce carbon emissions from vessel operations by up to 20%, providing shipowners with an efficient and convenient low-carbon solution to comply with increasingly stringent International Maritime Organization (IMO) emission reduction regulations.

Since the beginning of this year, Chimbusco said it has achieved top records of bunkering volumes in the green fuel sector. From the first successful operation at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in eastern China to subsequent bunkering operations in Shenzhen, Xiamen, and other major ports across the country, the company has further consolidated its regular supply capabilities.

During this in-depth cooperation with SPG’s Qingdao Port, Chimbusco’s “Green Energy Label” made its debut at the operation site.

“This further confirms that Chimbusco is deploying green fuel bunkering services to help Chinese ports accelerate the construction of a maritime green energy supply network,” the company said.

Photo credit: Shandong Port Group
Published: 20 June, 2025

Ammonia

Korea to develop global standards for discharge of toxic effluent from ammonia-fuelled ships

KR and major Korean shipyards such as HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, HD Hyundai Samho and Samsung Heavy Industries will be part of the group.

Published

3 days ago

June 20, 2025

Admin

Korea to develop global standards for discharge of toxic effluent from ammonia-fuelled ships

Classification society Korean Register (KR) said it has launched a joint working group to establish international standards for the safe discharge of toxic ammonia effluent generated from ammonia-fuelled ships.

Major Korean shipyards such as HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, HD Hyundai Samho, Samsung Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean, and the Korea Testing & Research Institute (KTR) will be part of the group.

KR said ammonia is attracting attention as an eco-friendly alternative fuel that does not emit carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, but due to its strong toxicity and concerns about marine pollution, it is essential to establish separate safety standards.

In particular, ammonia effluent generated from wet treatment systems currently has no clear treatment standards, which causes considerable technical and operational uncertainty in ship design and operation.

Accordingly, the group aims to establish international standards related to the storage, treatment, and discharge of ammonia wastewater generated from ships and to officially propose this to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) through the Korean government.

The launch of this consultative body is a follow-up measure to a proposal by KR and the Korean government to the IMO in 2024 for the need to establish safety standards for ammonia effluent, which was officially approved at the 83rd IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) in April 2025. The group plans to propose a draft standard to the IMO in 2026 and lead international discussions.

Kim Tae-seong, Head of the KTR headquarters, said: “We will provide reliable scientific data to establish ammonia wastewater management guidelines and treatment standards. We will actively cooperate to secure the international competitiveness of the domestic shipbuilding and shipping industries.”
Kim Kyung-bok, Vice President of KR, said: “This consultative body is a symbolic case of our shipbuilding and shipping industries joining forces to lead the establishment of international safety standards based on our country’s advanced technologies.”

“KR will continue to support the development of alternative fuel safety standards and international standardisation efforts together with our government.”

Photo credit: Korean Register
Published: 20 June, 2025

Alternative Fuels

Fratelli Cosulich and IINO Lines to collaborate on alternative bunker fuels

Fratelli Cosulich Marine Energy and IINO Lines signed a MoU, setting a foundation for further collaboration in the areas of methanol, LNG, and ammonia bunkering.

Published

3 days ago

June 20, 2025

Admin

Fratelli Cosulich Marine Energy and IINO Lines on Thursday (19 June) announced a strategic cooperation that reinforces their shared commitment to the decarbonisation of the maritime industry.

The two companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore new business opportunities in the alternative marine fuels sector.

“This agreement marks a significant step in the long-standing relationship between the two companies and sets the foundation for further collaboration in the areas of methanol, LNG, and ammonia bunkering,” Fratelli Cosulich said.

Through the MoU, the parties will engage in joint initiatives, exchange market insights, and facilitate connections with potential suppliers and stakeholders in the alternative fuels space.

“We are proud to announce the partnership with Fratelli Cosulich for initiatives in alternative marine fuels. Both companies have extensive history in the shipping industry,” said Yusuke Otani, President of IINO Lines.

“The joint development will enable a holistic approach for building a supply chain of alternative marine fuels.”

“As we navigate the energy transition, partnerships like the one we announce today with IINO Lines are essential in shaping the future of sustainable shipping,” said Timothy Cosulich, CEO of Fratelli Cosulich Group.

“By combining our expertise and resources, we aim to drive the adoption of cleaner marine fuels and contribute to the decarbonization of global shipping.”

Photo credit: Scott Graham
Published: 20 June, 2025