Marine fuels testing company VPS on Tuesday (3 October) announced the appointment of Andrew Morton to the role of Managing Director AMEA (Asia, Middle East and Africa).

In this role, Andrew will apply his experience and knowledge to lead the delivery of VPS services to these important and growing regions. He joins VPS having spent the last 17 years working in the oil and gas industry, most recently with TotalEnergies in various positions and countries. 

These included technical, commercial, management, mergers and acquisitions and most recently the New Energies space, including renewable energy, biogas and fuels, hydrogen and LNG. He has a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry and started his career in research and development in the lubricants industry for Fuchs.

Dr. Malcolm Cooper, VPS CEO, stated “We are delighted to welcome Andrew on board as our MD AMEA. His background and experience will be helpful in supporting our customers in these important Regions, particularly in the rapidly developing decarbonisation space.”

Andrew Morton, said: “I am delighted to join VPS and the team and take over the role of Managing Director - Asia, Middle East and Africa. It is a privilege to join the global market leader and to manage a zone where the maritime industry is growing. I look forward to working with the various companies and associations across the industry to help them with their decarbonisation journey.”

VPS also announced that Captain Rahul Choudhuri has been appointed to the newly created role of President Strategic Partnerships. In this role, Rahul will use his network to enhance and further develop relationships with customers and operators from across the shipping ecosystem to help VPS support their decarbonisation journey.

Dr. Malcolm Cooper, VPS CEO, stated “Captain Rahul is well-known across the Maritime sector and he has been the figurehead for VPS Asia and the Middle East for many years. He has been instrumental in many developments within VPS and across the shipping industry, making significant contributions to developments through a wide range of Committees and organisations.”

“His new role will enable him to focus more on our external relationships, which are of growing importance as we aim to support the shipping sector on it’s decarbonisation journey. We in VPS are very proud of Rahul’s achievements to date and we know there will be more to come.”

Rahul, said: “I am looking forward to this new opportunity. This role will allow me to use my experience and close relationships to strengthen, build and develop the industry partnerships needed to deliver new decarbonisation solutions offered by VPS. My work with industry associations allows a greater professional engagement with stakeholders to take the industry forward in challenging times”.

Photo credit: VPS
Published: 4 October, 2023

Marine fuel supplier Bunker Holding on Tuesday (3 October) said it has now secured bio bunker fuel availability in more than 80 ports around the world, catering to last mile delivery. 

With the recent adoption of the FuelEU Maritime regulation, the entering into force of the IMO CII, and the inclusion of shipping in the EU ETS just around the corner, the Group said it is ready to help clients with the optimal solutions to reduce their GHG emissions.

Valerie Ahrens, Senior Director of New Fuels and Carbon Markets at Bunker Holding, said: “Bunker Holding is overcoming the challenges from the green transition simultaneously with our customers. It is affecting how we conduct business in a changing market, driven by the new IMO GHG strategy and new regulations such as IMO CII, EU ETS, and FuelEU maritime.”

“We are all in the same boat but as a leading marine fuel supplier with an extensive network and global reach, we are well positioned and equipped to help our clients. Much of our work has gone into building strong and reliable supplier relations, which are essential to ensuring we can connect reliable suppliers with the end-users of biofuel globally.”

Manja Ostertag, Head of Biofuels, who is coordinating the global efforts to develop the supply of biofuels in key regions and ports, said: “During the past months, we have been intensifying our efforts on ensuring biofuel availability at numerous ports and at a global scale. This puts the Group in a unique position as a marine fuel supplier. Providing a relevant and competitive value proposition including low-carbon fuels is a crucial part of our New Fuels strategy and key to succeed as a business, given the upcoming IMO and EU regulations.”

As part of this effort, Bunker Holding and its subsidiaries are focusing on the individual needs of its clients. As every segment and business in the marine sector is different and hence might have different needs, Bunker Holding, through its affiliates, aims to provide customised and compliant solutions. That means the Group is providing different types of lower carbon products as well as blends of biofuels and conventional fuels and can deliver those products not only to flow ports, such as ARA and Singapore, but also in numerous other ports.

During the past months, biofuels have been bunkered by the Group to different segments, reaching from cruise and ferry lines and container ships to offshore clients and even smaller businesses.

“When delivering lower carbon fuel solutions to our clients, it is crucial for us to work with reliable certified suppliers that have the same high principles on delivering product quality and sustainability as we have. Such reliable supply chains are indispensable in delivering relevant value to our clients,” says Manja Ostertag.

Bunker Holding is not only delivering lower carbon fuel solutions through its affiliates, such as Biofuels or LNG, but also prepares for the evolving offtake of alternative marine fuels, such as methanol and ammonia. In addition to that, the Group supports its clients in any topic around EU ETS, such as buying EUA’s (EU Allowances). As an advisor for the green energy transition, the Group wants to position itself as a one-stop-shop to its clients.

Photo credit: Bunker Holding
Published: 4 October, 2023

Spain’s energy for maritime transport supplier Cepsa on Monday (2 October) said it has undertaken the largest supply of second-generation biofuels to date at the Port of Barcelona. 

The operation, conducted on a 350-metre-long container vessel operated by Hapag-Lloyd in the Mediterranean, marks the energy company's inaugural venture in Barcelona and positions the Port of Barcelona as a key player in the decarbonisation of maritime transportation.

The supplied biodiesel contains a 24% sustainable component, which will prevent the emission of 2,860 tons of CO2, equivalent to planting 34,300 trees. This biofuel has been produced from used cooking oils.

Currently, the energy company can supply these sustainable fuels by barge in the Port of Barcelona and the area of the Strait of Gibraltar, and by tanker in all the ports in which it operates.

Samir Fernández, director of Marine Fuel Solutions at Cepsa, said: “Second-generation biofuels can be used in ships without the need for modifications to their engines, and they have a high potential for reducing CO2 emissions compared to conventional fossil fuels, achieving a reduction of up to 90%, which makes them an ideal immediate solution.”

“That’s why we want to make them available in all the ports in which we operate and lead their production in this decade to help our customers meet their own decarbonisation challenges.”

The company said it aspires to be the leading biofuel producer in Spain and Portugal by 2030, with a production capacity of 2.5 million tons annually, and green hydrogen, with 2 GW of electrolysis capacity.

Photo credit: Cepsa
Published: 4 October, 2023