EMEA News
Furetank Sees FuelEU Maritime Driving Bio-LNG Adoption
Swedish shipping firm Furetank views FuelEU Maritime regulations as a positive driver for emissions reduction and expects bio-LNG to be a compliant solution.
The company also believes that running its vessels on bio-LNG will provide a competitive edge under the new EU framework.
Furetank's tanker vessel Fure Viken recently bunkered 200 mt of ISCC certified bio-LNG in Norway, the firm said in a statement on its website on Wednesday.
The bunkering took place off Mongstad, with the fuel supplied by Molgas in collaboration with STX Group.
This marks the first time Molgas has supplied mass-balanced bio-LNG as bunker fuel in Norway.
Molgas has been providing LNG bunkering services at multiple locations across Europe and is witnessing growing interest from dual-fuel vessels looking to bunker bio-LNG.
Bio-LNG is produced from organic waste such as industrial byproducts and sewage sludge and serves as a cleaner alternative to fossil LNG. Dual-fuel LNG vessels can use bio-LNG without requiring significant modifications.
Similar to biofuel blends, bio-LNG can be mixed with fossil LNG in any proportion, offering operators flexibility while reducing carbon emissions.
"This bunkering is a major step on Furetank's journey towards carbon neutrality, Viktoria Höglund, sustainability specialist at Furetank, said.
"We are happy to take part in paving the way for larger volumes and easier access to biomethane as a maritime fuel."
The FuelEU Maritime regulation came into effect on January 1 for all ships over 5,000 GT calling at European ports.
While the initial 2% GHG reduction target for 2025 is relatively easy to achieve, it will rise to 6% by 2030, 14.5% in 2035, and 80% by 2050, requiring shipowners to plan ahead and transition towards alternative fuels.
