Japanese logistic provider, Marubeni Corporation said it has conducted a trial voyage on one of its chartered vessels using a marine biofuel blend, which to the best of Marubeni’s knowledge was the world’s first biofuel supply to an ethylene carrier. The Voyage took place from Vlissingen, the Netherlands, to Morgan’s Point, Texas, USA.
The ethylene carrier GasChem Dollart was provided with B25 marine biofuel in Vlissingen, the Netherlands consisting of approximately 25% fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), mixed with very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO).
The biofuel mix was delivered at Vlissingen by BP Europa SE – BP Nederland, a subsidiary of BP p.l.c. GasChem Dollart. Operated by GasChem Services, the ship is on a long-term time charter to Marubeni.
The FAME
The FAME (fatty acid methyl ester) component of the marine biofuel blend used in this trial led to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the voyage on a lifecycle, well-to-wake approach. Biofuel blends are especially helpful as a “drop-in” solution available to existing fleets without the requirement for modifications to the engine or infrastructure in most applications.
Features of FAME used in the trial
- FAME (fatty acid methyl ester) is a biofuel generally known as biodiesel, which is mainly produced from recycled used cooking oils and renewable oil sources.
- FAME (fatty acid methyl ester) has physical properties identical to those of conventional diesel and is biodegradable.
The origination and generation of the FAME used in the trial are certified by the ISCC – International Sustainability and Carbon Certification – a prominent multistakeholder certification scheme for biobased materials. This certification mandates that sustainability criteria are followed throughout the supply chain.
About the voyage
Marubeni hasn’t yet revealed any technical details about the ship. But what’s essential is it completed the world’s first ethylene transport, using only biofuel. The Voyage was intended for understanding whether technical issues such as combustibility and stability arise when biofuel is used.
Marubeni
Marubeni Corporation uses its broad business networks, both within Japan and overseas, to conduct importing and exporting, as well as domestic business, comprising a diverse range of business activities across wide-ranging fields.
Marubeni provides logistic services for Ethylene transportation Internationally and is one of the largest players in the Global Ethylene Market. This trial is one of their steps to provide solutions to customers to achieve Decarbonization.
And they will likely continue to develop further services to support customers’ desires towards Decarbonization.
This article is for informative purpose only. The Brands mentioned in this article are not associated with Damalion.
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