EMEA News
Dekker Tests Biofuel FAME in Dutch Inland Shipping
Dutch firm Dekker Group is participating in a one-year practical trial led by research institute TNO and commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management to test FAME-based biofuel in inland shipping.
The goal is to better understand how this biofuel performs under real operational conditions and what is needed for trouble-free sailing, the firm said in a statement on its website.
Dekker's Cotrans vessels bunker the B15 biofuel blend at Terlouw in Capelle aan den IJssel, with fuel supplied by FincoEnergies.
During each bunkering, crews submit monitoring data on fuel usage, engine hours, oil changes and filter conditions. This helps TNO assess technical and operational needs and whether specific fuel standards are required.
Dekker is satisfied with B15 biofuel bunkering so far, reporting positive results in its ongoing trial.
"It actually goes automatically, you can just throw it in," says Dekker's shore captain Cees Anker, in a video by FincoEnergies.
"Of course you have to maintain your engines, drain water and replace filters on time, but this is what you should always do as standard."
The company views biofuel blends as an affordable, short-term solution for reducing emissions.
While fully battery-electric, hydrogen and methanol-powered vessels are part of the long-term vision, they are not yet viable as immediate alternatives, Dekker said.
