Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) subsidiary Euro Marine Logistics (EML) has commenced sea trials using marine biofuel on the car carrier City of Oslo, owned by Gram Car Carriers.
For the supply of biofuel, EML chose Netherlands-based GoodFuels. As per the deal, nearly 370t of biofuel were bunkered on City of Oslo at the Dutch port of Flushing.
GoodFuels’ biofuel is expected to cut down the vessel’s CO? emissions in the well-to-exhaust process by between 80% and 90% compared with vessels that operate on fossil fuel.
MOL Tokyo car carrier division general manager Koichi Hirata said: “MOL Group’s Environmental Vision aims to achieve sustainable net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the entire MOL Group by 2050, and this sustainable biofuel trial marks a positive step forward for MOL’s sustainability initiatives.
“We are committed to delivering decarbonisation in maritime transportation, and aspire to meet customers’ requirements through reducing carbon footprint in our logistic supply chain.”
GoodFuels’ marine biofuels can be utilised to fuel a ship without altering the engine hardware or fuel infrastructure. The company claims that it produces biofuel by using raw materials that do not cause deforestation or problems in food supply.
GoodFuels CCO Isabel Welten said: “At GoodFuels, we want to collaborate with sustainability movers to continue driving shipping’s decarbonisation journey with our advanced, sustainable biofuels.
“Today’s announcement with EML is another step on that path for us, and it also demonstrates their commitment to exploring sustainability pathways that can have an immediate impact.”
According to MOL Group’s new environmental strategy, MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.1, biofuel has the potential to become an ‘effective alternative’ to fossil fuels.
In May, MOL started the operation of a support system for planning car carrier allocation with its group firm MOL Information Systems.
