Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and TotalEnergies Marine Fuel have concluded the first biofuel bunker operation for a vehicle carrier in Singapore.
With the support of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, the partnership successfully completed the local operation with a MOL-operated car and truck carrier called Heroic Ace.
Through ship-to-ship transfer, the vehicle was refuelled by TotalEnergies-supplied biofuel. It conducted cargo operations at the same time.
The biofuel will be used by the carrier on a voyage to Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), stated MOL.
The biofuel blend used in the trial consists of very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) combined with 20% second-generation, waste-based and international sustainability and carbon certification (ISCC)-certified used cooking oil methyl ester (UCOME).
A well-to-wake assessment demonstrated that biofuel can cut down greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by around 17% compared to conventional fuel oil.
High compatibility and safe use of the biofuel on board the vessel were also shown in MOL’s initial analysis of the vehicle carrier’s engine and machinery performance.
MOL car carrier division general manager Koichi Hirata said: “MOL car carrier division has been working on trial usage of biofuel during navigation in the European short haul trade for more than a year.
“Today we are very pleased to announce that we have expanded our actions to the long haul trades and successfully conducted a milestone voyage together with our valued partner, TotalEnergies.”
Last week, MOL announced the creation of EcoMOL, a wholly-owned subsidiary in the Philippines that will focus on the reduction of GHG emissions.
