Successful first biofuel bunker trial for Singapore

The first marine biofuel trial involving an ocean-going vessel has been completed in Singapore by BHP and Oldendorff. The 2020-built, 81,290-dwt Kira Oldendorff, on charter to BHP, took on the bunkers on 4th April. The biofuel was blended with conventional fuel.

Oldendorff said some modifications were necessary to enable the Kira to burn the blend efficiently and data collection instruments were installed to record the trial results.

“The key objectives of the biofuel bunkering trial include understanding the behaviour of the fuel such as emissions, assessing engine and vessel operational performance during the trial, as well as exploring the technical and commercial merits and challenges of biofuels as a marine fuel,” the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said Thursday.

The biofuel was supplied by GoodFuels, who claims it reduces CO2 emissions by up to 90% well-to-exhaust when compared with heavy fuel oil or very low sulphur fuel.

“This trial marks the start of a process for GoodFuels of facilitating more structural supply of sustainable marine biofuels in Singapore, in a commercial, operational and technically feasible manner,” said GoodFuels chief commercial officer Isabel Welten.

Alex Vajsova-Jones, Oldendorff Carriers Singapore’s managing director, said being close partners with BHP made the trial a “natural fit”.