EMEA News
Vessel to Use Synthetic Diesel Bunkers in Emissions Reduction Trial
A vessel operated by Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) in the port of Rotterdam has become the first in the Netherlands to operate on the synthetic diesel fuel Shell GTL, World Maritime News reports.
The SMIT Elbe will use the alternative fuel for around six months in order to determine whether the fuel can reduce emissions without modifications to her engines.
Shell GTL, which stands for "gas-to-liquids" is produced from natural gas and compared to standard diesel is said to produce fewer nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide, fine dust particles, and black smoke emissions.
Shell says it has spent nearly 40 years researching the GTL technology, and it operated the first commercial GTL plant in Bintulu, Malaysia, and built the world’s largest GTL plant, Pearl GTL, in Qatar.
The company adds that as technology allows more natural gas to be recovered, it is now exploring a potential GTL plant on the US Gulf Coast.
