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Singapore: GCMD studies FAME biofuel degradation in bunker supply chains

Latest report by GCMD, which tracked quality of FAME and FAME blends across maritime supply chain, found that trials detected no significant degradation of FAME under commercial operations conditions.
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Singapore: GCMD studies FAME biofuel degradation in commercial and storage conditions

The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) on Tuesday (18 June) announced the release of its latest report,aimed to shed light on its findings from tracking the quality of FAME and FAME blends as they make their way through the supply chains and on consumption onboard vessels.

GCMD said Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME), a readily available biofuel, is gaining attention as an immediate solution to comply with EU and IMO regulations.

FAME use in major bunkering hubs Singapore and Rotterdam has risen from being negligible in 2020 to a combined 1 million metric tonnes (mt) of FAME blends in 2023.

“Unlike conventional marine fuels, FAME-based biofuels can be unstable since its natural oils and fats can slowly oxidise when exposed to atmospheric oxygen,” it said. 

When oxidation happens, FAME can degrade to produce by-products, like peroxides, alcohols, and sludge, all of which can impact engine life and performance. Degradation can also be further accelerated by exposure to water, impurities, contaminants, light, and heat.

The report, titled Tracking the propensity of biofuels degradation across the maritime supply chain, sheds light on a crucial question: Does FAME degrade significantly under actual commercial and storage conditions in the marine supply chains, hindering its potential as a widespread decarbonisation solution?  

Key insights and takeaways

 Encouragingly, GCMD said end-to-end supply chain trials detected no significant degradation of FAME under commercial operations conditions.

“These findings offer strong support for FAME use in the marine fuels supply chain,” it said. 

The report elaborates how the team traced the properties of FAME and FAME blends, and tracked the parameters of FAME quality, namely acid value, viscosity, FAME content, energy content and microbial contamination, of samples at different points along the supply chain to come to this conclusion.

What the report covers

  • Understanding the propensity of degradation of FAME
  • Tracing FAME quality in GCMD’s end-to-end supply chains
  • Understanding the current ISO specifications for FAME quality requirements
  • Contextualising GCMD’s findings per ISO specifications

The report is co-authored by Dr. Prapisala Thepsithar, Director of Projects, and Dr. Sanjay Kuttan, Chief Strategy Officer, at GCMD. 

It has also been reviewed by industry leaders: Dr. Malcolm Cooper, CEO of VPS, Captain Rahul Choudhuri, President, Strategic Partnerships, VPS and Ms. Monique Vermeire, Fuels Technologist at Chevron.

In a social media post, Capt. Rahul Choudhuri, President Strategic Partnerships, said: “VPS is very proud to have supported the Global Centre of Maritime Decarbonization (GCMD) in this vitally important work of understanding the nature of Biofuels Degradation.”

VPS said the biofuels study showed levels of fuel degradation in a real-world environment. Whereas the trials indicated no degradation of the Biofuels over the nominated transportation section & supply to the vessel

Note: The report titled ‘Tracking the propensity of biofuels degradation across the maritime supply chain’ can be found here. 

 

Photo credit: Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation
Published: 19 June 2024

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Biofuel

China: Chimbusco completes first bonded B24 bunkering operation in Shenzhen

Chimbusco Marine Bunker (Shenzhen) completed the operation after supplying 1,300 mt of B24 marine biofuel oil for “Xin Chi Wan” vessel, at Shekou Container Terminal.
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July 8, 2026

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China: Chimbusco completes first bonded B24 bunkering operation in Shenzhen

Zhuhai Chimbusco Petroleum Co Ltd (Chimbusco Zhuhai), a subsidiary of China Marine Bunker (PetroChina) (Chimbusco), on Monday (6 July) said the company completed its first bunkering operation since receiving its local licence in Shenzhen. 

Chimbusco Marine Bunker (Shenzhen) completed the operation after supplying 1,300 metric tonnes (mt) of B24 marine biofuel oil for the Xin Chi Wan vessel, owned by COSCO Shipping Group, at the Shekou Container Terminal in Shenzhen.

The operation adopted the “cross-customs direct supply bunkering” model with the cooperation of Shenzhen and Gongbei Customs and maritime authorities.

Looking ahead, Chimbusco Marine Bunker (Shenzhen) said it will build on its local licensing and policy advantages to expand its bonded marine fuel bunkering business in Shenzhen.

The company plans to optimise its bunkering processes and improve service quality to help strengthen the city’s bonded marine fuel supply capabilities while supporting the shipping industry’s green transition.

 

Photo credit: Zhuhai Chimbusco Petroleum
Published: 8 July, 2026

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Association

German bunker supplier Heinrich Wegener & Sohn joins Global Ethanol Association

Both will advance the development of ethanol and methanol bunkering by fostering collaboration across the maritime value chain.

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July 7, 2026

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German bunker supplier Heinrich Wegener & Sohn joins Global Ethanol Association

Heinrich Wegener & Sohn, a family-run German company that supplies marine fuels and lubricants to the shipping industry, recently joined Global Ethanol Association as its newest member. 

With a long-standing reputation in maritime logistics and bunkering, the association said Heinrich Wegener & Sohn brings valuable expertise and industry leadership at a time when demand for low-carbon marine fuels is accelerating.

“Together, we look forward to advancing the development of ethanol and methanol bunkering by fostering collaboration across the maritime value chain, supporting infrastructure development, and helping enable the transition to cleaner, more sustainable shipping,” it said. 

The company, founded in 1929, focuses on the supply of marine diesel, gas oil, methanol, and certified biofuels in accordance with the RED II directive.

As a German reseller for Gulf Oil Marine, the company supplies marine lubricants to over 380 ships worldwide on a contract basis.

 

Photo credit: Heinrich Wegener & Sohn
Published: 7 July, 2026

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Business

Glencore backs FincoEnergies’ biofuel growth with majority stake acquisition

With Glencore’s support, FincoEnergies is well positioned to continue expanding its offerings in biofuels across multiple transport segments and to increase its presence in new geographies.
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July 3, 2026

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Dutch biofuel supplier FincoEnergies on Thursday (2 July) announced the completion of global commodities trader Glencore’s acquisition of a majority stake in the company, forming a partnership with Coloured Finches.

FincoEnergies said its fuel distribution and logistics infrastructure, customer relationships and expertise in downstream fuel transportation will be complemented by Glencore’s global scale, sourcing capabilities and experience across the energy value chain.

With Glencore’s support, FincoEnergies added it is well positioned to continue expanding its offerings in biofuels and decarbonisation solutions across multiple transport segments and to increase its presence in new geographies.

Jan-Willem van der Velden, FincoEnergies CEO and Founder, said: “Today marks an exciting next step for FincoEnergies. Glencore already knows our business well, and this builds on years of collaboration, trust and shared ambition. With Glencore’s support and global reach behind us, we are in a strong position to continue growing our business and supporting our customers as demand for lower-carbon fuel solutions continues to evolve.”

Maxim Kolupaev, Head of Glencore Energy UK, said: “Glencore’s investment in FincoEnergies strengthens the presence of our business in Northwest Europe and creates a strong platform for future growth. We are looking forward to continuing to work closely with the FincoEnergies team and building on the successful relationship we have already developed together.”

Manifold Times previously reported FincoEnergies signing an agreement with Glencore for the acquisition of a majority shareholding in the FincoEnergies Group in a partnership with Coloured Finches.

Related: Glencore acquires majority stake in Dutch biofuel supplier FincoEnergies

 

Photo credit: FincoEnergies
Published: 3 July, 2026

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