Peninsula delivered 2,200 tonnes of B30 biofuel to Hapag-Lloyd in Barcelona, advancing maritime decarbonisation efforts
Peninsula, a global provider of marine energy solutions, recently completed a bunkering operation at the Port of Barcelona, delivering 2,200 tonnes of B30 very low sulphur fuel oil biofuel to Hapag-Lloyd’s 7,510-TEU container ship, Yantian Express.
This operation was carried out by 3,500-dwt IMO II chemical tanker Aalborg, marking a step in the maritime industry’s ongoing efforts to reduce carbon emissions through the use of alternative fuels.
The biofuel used in this operation was a blend certified by ISCC EU, derived from used cooking oil. This type of sustainable fuel is becoming increasingly relevant in meeting environmental regulations such as the Fuel EU Maritime initiative and the EU Emissions Trading System.
Peninsula chief commercial officer Victor Morales noted there has been an increasing demand for biofuels, and the company is supplying Hapag-Lloyd as it works towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The journey towards integrating B30 biofuel blends into regular maritime operations has been gradual, with several key developments leading up to this point.
One of the earliest trials occurred in June 2021, when Italy’s d’Amico Group spearheaded a project to test B30 biofuel blends on its LR1 product tankers in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp region.
This initiative, involving partners such as Trafigura and MAN Energy Solutions, focused on assessing the lifecycle CO2 emissions of biofuels compared with traditional fossil fuels.
In January 2022, Singapore-based MTM Ship Management furthered the adoption of B30 biofuels with a successful voyage of its MR tanker, MTM Colorado, from the Netherlands to Brazil.
According to MTM Ship Management, the trial resulted in a 32% reduction in emissions for the main engine and a 23% reduction for the auxiliary engine compared with using only very low sulphur fuel oil.
In May 2022, BP and Rio Tinto launched a year-long trial of B30 biofuel blends on RTM Tasman, a bulk carrier operating on transatlantic and Atlantic-Pacific routes.