Sep 12, 2023

The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) successfully bunkered the third supply chain of a biofuel blend as part of a pilot project. Partnering with tonnage provider Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS), this GCMD-led trial involved the Kaupang, a mid-sized gas carrier equipped with an LPG dual-fuel engine. In this trial, approximately 200 MT of a B30 biofuel blend of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and marine gas oil (MGO) provided by GoodFuels was bunkered in the Port of Vlissingen (Flushing) as the pilot fuel for LPG propulsion. Prior to this trial, GCMD had successfully traced two supply chains of FAME-based biofuel blends with synthetic DNA from production to consumption through Singapore. In this most recent trial, GCMD collaborated with GoodFuels, Control Union and IDS to deploy an element-based tracer in HVO to assure its origination and quantity in the biofuel blend. Unique to this trial, the tracer was dosed in-line with HVO and blended with MGO onboard the bunker vessel. Dr Sanjay Kuttan, chief technology officer of GCMD, said: “The experiences from this trial will strengthen the development of our framework to provide emissions abatement assurance when it comes to paying a premium for green fuels over fossil fuels. Through this pilot, we demonstrated that different tracing techniques can help ensure authenticity and quantity of sustainable biofuels in the supply chain. “And using a biofuel blend with LPG can be a feasible pathway for ships to meet the recently revised IMO indicative decarbonisation checkpoint for 2030.” CONNECT WITH US