Dirk Kronemeijer, CEO, GoodFuels Marine, commented, “We want to greatly thank NORDEN 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 realizing the wide scale use of bio-marine gas oil equivalent biofuel, but for over three years we have been working day and night to develop our BFO solution.”
The culmination of three years extensive research and development with partners including Royal Dutch Boskalis and technology group Wärtsilä, GoodFuels’ Bio-Fuel Oil (BFO) delivers near-zero carbon and Sulphur Oxide (SOx) emissions without any requirement for engine modifications. The trials – which saw hundreds of tonnes of ‘drop-in’ BFO taken onboard in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp region – were conducted on the 37,000 deadweight tonne (dwt) Handysize product tanker vessel NORD HIGHLANDER as she ran in typical commercial operation in the North and Baltic Seas.
To compare how the engine reacted on the biofuel as an alternative to low sulphur fossil fuel, the departure from Antwerp was conducted on fossil fuel. After a visual inspection of the engine, the vessels switched to biofuel. During the voyage the engine was operated at different loads for sufficiently long periods to establish stable performance. After the test, a final visual inspection of the engine was conducted, which confirmed that the engine was not negatively affected by the biofuel.
The successful test effectively means that there is the capability to future-proof fuel requirements for ship owners and operators who are seeking an alternative to both distillates and Ultra Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (ULSFO) in order to comply with 2020 0.5 percent sulphur cap requirements, as well as impending International Maritime Organization Greenhouse Gas reduction requirements. These requirements include an objective to reduce average carbon intensity from shipping – the amount of carbon emitted for each unit of transport – by at least 40 percent by 2030, and 70 percent by 2050.
Jan Rindbo, CEO, NORDEN, stated, “NORDEN is proud to be at the forefront of testing and introducing CO2 neutral fuel that truly makes an impact on the highly important agenda of reducing the carbon footprint of shipping.”
Rindbo expects that once the CO2 neutral transport becomes available it will be in high demand. “Now that we have proven CO2 neutral transport as a viable alternative, I am convinced many carbon conscious customers within a foreseeable future will demand this type of transport,” he said.
NORDEN A/S and GoodFuels Marine will continue working with together to gain more experience and scale usage of the fuel as an alternative to HFO, ensuring the realization of the opportunity to offer commercially attractive carbon-neutral transport to meet customers’ demands.
