Boskalis, Wärtsilä, GoodFuels Marine launch sustainable marine biofuels program

In The Netherlands, Boskalis, Wärtsilä, and GoodFuels Marine revealed a partnership to pioneer the development of sustainable “drop in” marine biofuels for the shipping industry.

Netherlands-based GoodFuels Marine and its partners will spearhead a two-year pilot programme to accelerate the development of truly sustainable, scalable and affordable marine biofuels.

The program’s focus will be on delivering and analysing a sustainable feedstock, securing industry certification, and preparing the building blocks for large‐scale production. Additionally, the consortium will initiate a global scalability study involving leading shipowners, universities, NGOs, ports, biofuel companies and other industry stakeholders. The aim will be to identify tangible opportunities for scaling supply to the world’s commercial shipping fleet.

Theo Baartmans, COO, Boskalis commented: “We strongly believe in the need for sustainable “drop in” marine biofuels and their potential as part of the long term fuel mix, as we see them as an important means of improving the sustainability of the industry. Participating in this pilot and making our vessels available is in line with Boskalis’ approach to seeking innovations that work hand in hand with sustainability.”

Roger Holm, Senior Vice President, Engines, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions stated: “Wärtsilä, together with its customers, is highly committed to continuously finding better, more sustainable marine engine solutions. This is another great example of that commitment, whereby we support pioneering innovations that provide ship operators with greater flexibility and choice about how they can reduce emissions.”