Global resources company BHP, German shipping company Oldendorff Carriers, and advanced biofuels pioneer GoodFuels, with the support of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), announced that it conducted the first marine biofuel trial involving an ocean-going vessel bunkered in Singapore on April 4.
In a statement, Singapore said as part of the trial, the 2020-built 81,290 deadweight tonne dry bulk carrier Kira Oldendorff was refuelled with “drop-in” advanced biofuel blended with conventional fossil fuels.
"The key objectives of the biofuel bunkering trial include understanding the behaviour of the fuel (such as emissions), assessing engine and vessel operational performance during the trial, as well as exploring the technical and commercial merits and challenges of biofuels as a marine fuel."
It added that the trial will also enable us to develop an informed strategy on the structural supply and use of biofuels to support BHP’s key shipping routes.
These objectives, the gateway said, are in line with BHP’s strategy to assess biofuels as a potential low-carbon fuel of the future, which is an important step in enabling BHP to establish pathways for meeting one of its Scope 3 greenhouse gas emission goals for 2030, to support 40% emissions intensity reduction of BHP-chartered shipping of our products.
The advanced biofuel, supplied by GoodFuels, reduces CO2 emissions by 80% to 90% well-to-exhaust compared with HFO/VLSFO, and uses sustainable waste and residue streams as feedstock.
Captain Daknashamoorthy Ganasen, MPA’s senior director (Operations and Marine Services), maintained the gateway's commitment to pursuing sustainability.
“Singapore is committed to the environmental sustainability of the shipping industry. We welcome interested parties to cooperate on the research, development and piloting of clean marine fuels in reducing the impact of shipping on the environment,” he said.