The Norden Highlander, a 37,000 dwt product tanker, completed a successful voyage in the North and Baltic Sea using a GoodFuels drop-in biofuel oil (BFO).
The fuel reportedly made primarily from recycled vegetable oil can be used without any engine modifications and has near zero carbon and SOx emissions.
Dirk Kronemeijer, ceo, GoodFuels Marine, commented: “We want to greatly thank Nodern A/S for being a pioneer and for joining us as we take this crucial step towards developing a carbon-busting solution that is scalable, truly sustainable, technically compliant and – crucially – affordable.
“In our journey so far we have focused on realising the wide-scale use of bio-marine gas oil (MGO) equivalent biofuel, but for over three years we have been working day and night to develop our BFO solution.”
Read more: Revolution needed in marine propulsion to meet IMO's 50% greenhouse gas reduction target
Jan Rindbo, ceo of Norden commented: “Norden has come a long way in increasing fuel efficiency and has reduced CO2 emissions per tonne cargo transported on owned tanker vessels by 25% between 2007 to 2017. With the newly introduced IMO targets on CO2 reductions, however, it is evident that increased fuel efficiency alone is not enough. We need alternative solutions and with this test, NORDEN has shown a viable method towards reaching these targets.
“Now that we have proven CO2 neutral transport as a viable alternative, I am convinced many carbon-conscious customers will demand this type of transport within the foreseeable future.”
The bio-fuel is seen as meeting both the requirements of the 2020 sulphur and the IMO’s ambitions of a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions from shipping by 2050.
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