Alternative Fuels

Spar Shipping bulk carrier “Spar Lynx” completes 10-day trial of 100% biofuel bunker

Trial was the first bio-bunkering undertaken by Spar Shipping and its ship management partner Fleet Management, using GoodFuels’ sustainable marine biofuel.

Published

2 years ago

July 29, 2022

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Long-term dry bulk tonnage provider Spar Shipping AS, ship management services provider Fleet Management Limited and global biofuels supplier GoodFuels on Thursday (28 July) said they have successfully completed a 10-day trial of 100% sustainable marine biofuel on board Spar Shipping AS’ bulk carrier Spar Lynx.

Spar Lynx was refuelled with GoodFuels’ biofuel during its port stay in Dordrecht, in the Netherlands, before sailing to the port of Icdas, in Turkey.

The sustainable biofuel bunker was derived from a variety of feedstocks certified as 100% waste or residue, including processed used cooking oil and animal waste fats.

The trial was the first bio-bunkering undertaken by Spar Shipping AS and its ship management partner, Fleet Management Limited. The biofuel supplied by GoodFuels delivers a reduction of at least 75% in well-to-exhaust carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Over the voyage, Spar Lynx saw a 85% cut in sulphur oxides (SOx) emissions when compared to traditional fossil-based marine fuels. Analysis and continuous monitoring by Fleet Management Ltd using a NOx (nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide) meter supplied by GoodFuels showed the NOx emissions did not increase at a higher speed when using biofuel, contrary to some industry assumptions.

The trial also further confirmed the safety and technical viability of biofuels for the future fuel mix. Ahead of the trial, Fleet Management Limited undertook a full inspection of the Spar Lynx’s engine to compare the vessel before and after sailing. Following the voyage, no particulates or differences in engine performance were recorded, which demonstrates biofuel’s ability to seamlessly “drop in” to existing vessels, requiring no changes to existing tanks or engines.

Jarle Ellefsen, Managing Director at Spar Shipping AS said: “There is particular industry attention on the suitability and applicability of biofuels to legacy tonnage. With regards to Supramax and Ultramax tonnage, which Spar Shipping AS represents, we consider biofuels may well be the only viable sustainable solution for modern tonnage as well.”

“As a tonnage provider, we are looking to facilitate and make feasible sustainable solutions that are technically as well as economically viable. It is all about providing added flexibility to the charterers or operators of existing tonnage.”

“Sustainability is also about affordability, and part of the picture is to enable the biofuels industry to scale up and secure both availability as well as low-cost sustainable biofuel alternatives for the maritime industry. The sustainable biofuels industry needs takers to be able to scale up, and the maritime industry is looking for availability and low cost.”

“To this end, we all have a role to play. By doing our homework, we de-risk, and we are ready and in position to offer new sustainable alternative solutions once the regulatory framework allows for it. We have no time to lose if we are to fulfil the expectations placed upon us by the many stakeholders within our industry.”

Dirk Kronemeijer, CEO of GoodFuels, said: “As a market leader and pioneer, we are proud to supply our sustainable biofuel to Spar Shipping AS as a credible sustainable solution which can match their operational needs. The results from this latest trial further demonstrate the important role of biofuels as a drop-in solution which is available today and makes a tremendous and immediate difference on greenhouse gas emissions.

“The time for action on shipping’s decarbonisation is now, and we are proud to partner with Spar Shipping AS and Fleet Management Limited as they join the ranks of our marine biofuel pioneers committed to sustainability.”

Kishore Rajvanshy, Managing Director at Fleet Management Limited said: “Environmental stewardship is a key area of our Caravel Group and Fleet Management sustainability strategy. We are very pleased that this trial demonstrated a significant reduction in both carbon dioxide and sulphur oxides compared with conventional fuels.”

“As the world’s second largest ship management company – with more than 600 vessels under our care – we look forward to further contributing to the exploration of the use of biofuels within the global shipping industry.”

Photo credit: GoodFuels
Published: 29 July, 2022

Biofuel

Singapore: GCMD introduces new technique for FAME bio bunker fuel fingerprinting

Fingerprinting identifies feedstock origins of FAME-based biofuels used in shipping industry; can be used as a potential tool to detect fraud in marine fuel supply chains and ensure biofuel authenticity.

Published

10 hours ago

December 2, 2024

Admin

Singapore: GCMD introduces new technique for FAME bio bunker fuel fingerprinting

The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) on Monday (2 December) released its latest report, presenting a new technique that creates a fingerprint for Fatty Acid Methyl Esters(FAME) bio bunker fuels.

This fingerprint identifies the feedstock origins of the FAME-based biofuels used in the shipping industry.

GCMD said FAME fingerprinting is needed as the shipping sector is increasingly using biofuels, such as FAME, to reduce its GHG emissions. With that, concerns have arisen regarding the legitimacy of biofuels and whether they are truly sustainable.

Industry bodies are seeing a rising number of cases mislabelling biofuels purported to be made from recycled oils and fats, while suspicions persist that they might be produced from cheaper and less sustainable virgin oils.

“To address these concerns, FAME fingerprinting can be used as a potential tool to detect fraud in marine fuel supply chains and ensure biofuel authenticity. By providing a physical validation method that complements existing certification schemes, FAME fingerprinting can help justify the green premium with genuine environmental benefits and safeguard the integrity of marine fuels supply chain,” GCMD said.

FAME fingerprinting is based on the principle that the fatty acid profile of FAME is unique to its feedstock and can be preserved during feedstock transesterification to produce FAME. The "fingerprint" can then be compared against a database of known fatty acid profiles to identify the feedstock origin.

GCMD worked with VPS who modified existing fuel testing methods to carry out sample analyses using a gas chromatograph with flame-ionisation detection, an instrument commonly found in fuel test laboratories.

The analysis takes about an hour, comparable to the turnaround time for current marine fuel quality testing in the supply chain.

“We have tested this method on a variety of FAME samples from different suppliers, including virgin oils, used cooking oils, palm oil mill effluent, beef tallow and food waste and were able to identify the feedstock origins for each sample,” GCMD added.

Manifold Times previously reported Captain Rahul Choudhuri, President, Strategic Partnerships at marine fuels testing company VPS, forecasting the use of finger printing technology today will likely establish a blueprint of how future alternative bunker fuels’ feedstocks are authenticated.

Captain Choudhuri said this when he gave an update of VPS’ biofuels finger printing trials with GCMD.

Note: The full report, titled ‘Rapid forensic analysis of FAME-based biofuels: Potential use of its fingerprint as a fraud detection tool’, can be downloaded here.

Photo credit: Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation
Published: 2 December, 2024

Methanol

PLAGEN to produce and supply green methanol bunker fuel with Latvia plant

Korean firm’s MoU with AE Risinājumi will see construction of Latvia’s first commercial-scale green methanol production plant, which will supply green methanol to ships in EU’s maritime fleet.

Published

10 hours ago

December 2, 2024

Admin

PLAGEN to produce and supply green methanol bunker fuel with Latvia plant

South Korean clean energy firm PLAGEN on Friday (29 November) signed an MOU with Latvian company, AE Risinājumi, for the production of green methanol in Latvia at the “2024 Latvia-Korea Business Forum” hosted by the President of Latvia.

The agreement will result in the construction of Latvia's first commercial-scale green methanol production plant, which will supply green methanol to ships in the EU's maritime fleet, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transportation.

PLAGEN's MoU aims to produce 20,000 metric tonnes (mt) of green methanol per year and will begin feasibility studies in the first half of 2025, and full-scale production will begin in 2028.

With 53% of Latvia's land area covered by forests, timber production and wood processing make a significant contribution to Latvia’s economic production, which generates a large amount of forest residues and wood wastes. In addition, Latvia also has an abundance and low price of renewable electricity from wind power.

Latvia is one of the most competitive countries in the European Union, as it can produce clean methanol at a competitive price by using abundant wood waste as a raw material and renewable electricity from cheap wind power.

The use of abundant forest residues and wood wastes as a feedstock and cheap renewable electricity from wind power makes it possible to produce green methanol with a competitive price, making Latvia is one of the most competitive countries in the EU.

In the European Union, the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) will come into effect in 2025, requiring shipping companies to purchase carbon credits for their greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition, the EU is implementing FuelEU Maritime, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2% below the 2020 average by 2025 and 80% by 2050. This is expected to result in an energy transition to green methanol.

In July 2023, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted a revised strategy that calls for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships to net-zero by or around 2050, and plans to introduce full-scale regulations from 2027, and shipping companies have begun ordering methanol-powered ships fueled by green methanol, a carbon-neutral fuel.

“We expect to start producing green methanol in Latvia in 2028, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from EU maritime transport vessels and contribute significantly to the revitalization of the Latvian economy and national energy security,” said John Kyung, CEO of PLAGEN.

In November 2024, PLAGEN completed the purchase of an industrial complex and received a government permit for the construction of the country's first green methanol plant in Dongjeom Industrial Complex in Taebaek City, Gangwon-do.

The project, which will produce 10,000 mt per year, is scheduled to begin construction in the first half of 2025 and begin production in the second half of 2027.

Photo credit: PLAGEN
Published: 2 December, 2024

LNG Bunkering

Molgas commences LNG bunkering operations in United Kingdom

Firm successfully completed the first LNG bunkering of “MV Glen Sannox” since the ship was handed over to CalMac Ferries Limited last week.

Published

11 hours ago

December 2, 2024

Admin

Molgas commences LNG bunkering operations in United Kingdom

Molgas Group on Friday (29 November) said it successfully completed the first LNG bunkering of the MV Glen Sannox since the ship was handed over to CalMac Ferries Limited last week, marking its entry into the United Kingdom.

“We would like to thank CalMac Ferries Limited and Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Limited for their trust and long-term collaboration,” the firm said in a social media post.

“This project not only represents a significant step forward in the adoption of cleaner fuels in the maritime industry of the United Kingdom but also for the expansion of our Pan-European Supply Network for the Marine Segment to receive (bio)LNG via various supply assets across multiple countries and ports.”

Photo credit: Molgas Group
Published: 2 December, 2024