Japan's NYK Line, Singapore's GCMD to launch six-month biofuel bunker project

Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha

09/05/2024 09:57

SINGAPORE, May 9 (Reuters) - Japanese shipping major NYK
Line  9101.T  and the Singapore-based Global Centre for Maritime
Decarbonisation (GCMD) will launch a six-month project for
trialing marine biofuel for bunkering, they said in a joint
statement on Thursday. 
    The companies will trial the use of a biofuel blend
consisting of 24% fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) and very low
sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) onboard a short-sea vehicle carrier
that will call at multiple ports. 
    By 2030, NYK aims to reduce the group's greenhouse gas
emissions by 45% from 2021.  
    The shipper has been conducting full-scale trials of the
long-term use of biofuels in navigating existing heavy
oil-powered vessels to achieve this target, said Nobuhiro
Kashima, senior managing executive officer of NYK Line. 
    Biofuels including FAME are among several alternative ship
fuels, also known as bunker fuels, that shippers are exploring
to reduce carbon emissions.
    The project will evaluate the total cost of ownership of
using biofuels, including the cost of fuel and additional
maintenance costs. 
    It will also identify and tackle potential challenges
related to continuous biofuels use, such as engine system
corrosion and valve failures. 

 (Reporting by Jeslyn Lerh; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
 ((Jeslyn.Lerh@thomsonreuters.com;))