EMEA News
EPS Trials Biofuel Blend as Pilot Fuel for LPG-Powered Gas Carrier
Eastern Pacific Shipping has completed a trial of a biofuel bunker blend on board one of its gas carriers, with the project being organised by the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation.
GoodFuels bunkered the LPG-fuelled gas carrier Kaupang with about 200 mt of a B30 blend containing 30% HVO mixed with MGO at Flushing on July 24, the GCMD said in an emailed statement on Tuesday.
While the dual-fuelled gas carrier usually runs on LPG, the vessel still needs oil-based bunkers for its pilot fuel, and the biofuel blend was used for this purpose in the trial.
Testing and decarbonisation advisory firm VPS oversaw the transfer, blending and bunkering of the fuel and tested its quality against EN 15940 and ISO 8217 specifications.
"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," Sanjay Kuttan, chief technology officer at the GCMD, said in the statement.
"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."
Demand for biofuel bunker blends is increasing as shipowners take them on as a drop-in replacement for conventional fuels with a lower carbon footprint, allowing them to reduce GHG emissions without investing in new ships capable of running on other alternative fuels.
