Against the backdrop of the global shipping industry accelerating its transition towards “net-zero emissions,” biofuels are becoming a crucial option for operational fleets to achieve a low-carbon transformation, owing to their significant advantage of compatibility with existing ship engine systems without requiring modifications. At the International Maritime Organization’s MEPC 83 meeting, to achieve the targets set in the “2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships,” the introduction of a Greenhouse Gas Intensity (GFI) starting from 2028 to achieve net-zero or near-zero emissions has also accelerated the potential for using biofuel oil. Simultaneously, with the formal inclusion of biofuel oil-related specifications in the ISO 8217:2024 standard, its application prospects have become even broader.
However, in practical use, biofuels still present several operational challenges, such as: oxidative stability and sludge control, low-temperature fluidity issues, microbial contamination, lower calorific value, etc.; particularly for bio-light oil (Bio-LSMGO)/biodiesel or B100, the following issues are more prominent:
1. Poor oxidative stability, short storage time;
2. Oxidative products are corrosive, affecting equipment safety;
3. Prone to water absorption, hydrolysis easily produces acidic substances, accelerating fuel quality degradation and increasing corrosion risk;
4. Combustion tends to produce deposits, reducing injector nozzle atomization efficiency.
To address the aforementioned issues with /B100, Wilhelmsen Ships Service (hereinafter referred to as Wilhelmsen) has launched a high-efficiency additive specifically designed for biofuels—Unitor™ Dieselpower BioEnhancer, assisting shipowners and management companies in advancing decarbonization more safely and efficiently.
Verified by authoritative third-party testing, this product possesses the following outstanding performance characteristics:
1. Significantly enhances antioxidant performance, even under complex conditions such as metal catalysis (according to EN 15751), it can extend fuel stability and service life (1);
2. Effectively inhibits corrosion, protecting fuel system components;
3. Possesses excellent demulsification capability, assisting separators in reducing water content to within the main engine’s allowable range;
4. Can remove and prevent injector deposits (based on CEC F-98-08 DW-10 bench test), improving atomization efficiency, and ensuring combustion.
Unitor™ Dieselpower BioEnhancer has been successfully applied on multiple vessels and has received positive feedback from customers. Meanwhile, Wilhelmsen offers related holistic solutions to address the broader application of biofuel oil (such as /B30 /HFO). If your company is currently using or planning to use biofuels, please feel free to contact your Wilhelmsen Account Manager for more product and technical support.
Visit the Wilhelmsen Ships Service website for more information on fuel additives.
*Note:
1. Data based on test results from an independent third-party laboratory (certificated).
2. Unless otherwise specified, “biofuels” in this article refer to Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).
