B24 Still Dominates Asian Biofuel Market as B30 Faces Supplier Pushback

Sources tell Ship & Bunker that B24 marine biofuel is still up for grabs at major ports across Asia. File Image / Pixabay

B24 marine biofuel blends continue to dominate supply in major Asian bunker hubs despite recent regulatory changes allowing for higher biofuel content.

The IMO recently raised the allowable biofuel blending limit for carriage on conventional bunker tankers from 25% to 30% by volume.

This update was expected to encourage wider adoption of B30 blends, marking a crucial step forward towards reducing emissions.

However, uptake remains limited.

In key ports like Singapore and Fujairah, B24 appears to be the standard blend on offer.

Some suppliers remain cautious about transitioning to B30, citing concerns over fuel stability, performance, and the ability to guarantee specifications, market sources told Ship & Bunker.

The price gap between B24 and B30 blends is not too small, but suppliers appear to be hesitant to guarantee B30 specifications at this stage fully, a source told Ship & Bunker.

One supplier told Ship & Bunker they offer only B24 in Singapore at the moment, with no immediate plans to introduce B30.

Meanwhile, others echoed similar concerns, pointing to uncertain demand as a key factor.

A UAE-based source noted that while enquiries for B30 have been noticed, no firm stems have been fixed yet.

Most suppliers in Fujairah appear to favour B24 as a standard offering.

For instance, bunker supplier Oil Marketing and Trading International (OMTI) recently announced delivering B24 biofuel to a vessel in the port, underscoring the blend's prevailing popularity.

Hong Kong has seen some progress.

Marine fuel supplier Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical began offering B30 blends following the IMO rule update and successfully bunkered a container vessel with B30.

This was followed by a large B24 delivery of 6,300 mt—the biggest biofuel stem recorded by the firm in Hong Kong so far.

While some sources believe B30 could become the default blend, slow biofuel demand has kept suppliers cautious, particularly across Asian markets.

This trend has been reflected in bunker sales data at the world's largest bunkering hub, Singapore, where bio-blended bunker volumes fell to around 111,000 mt in April, down from 146,000 mt in March.

Since January 2024, bio-blended fuels have made up just 0-3% of total bunker sales in the port. That share has plateaued at around 3% since February 2025.

B30 More Widely Available in Europe

The picture is different in Europe, where B30 is more widely adopted.

A Portugal-based supplier told Ship & Bunker that they have been offering B30 blends for several months, primarily via inland river barges. The supplier also said they have seen more enquiries for B30, even with B24 on offer.

These inland bunker vessels can carry blends up to B100, as they are exempt from the same IMO carriage regulations that govern conventional bunker tankers.

This regulatory flexibility has made B30 more accessible in European bunker hubs such as ARA, where inland barges operate extensively, contrasting with Singapore and Fujairah, which rely mostly on conventional bunker tankers.

Despite some progress, overall demand for marine biofuel blends remains lower than expected, most sources agree.

Most biofuel uptake has come from segments like container lines and ro-ro operators seeking to reduce Scope 3 emissions for their customers.

Shipping giants such as AP Moller–Maersk are offering low-carbon shipment options based on biofuel blends to help meet these emissions targets.

Looking ahead, biofuel demand may accelerate with the IMO's 2028 regulations coming into force, which could make bunkering biofuel blends more financially attractive.