GoodFuels Marine’s drop-in bio-heavy fuel oil successful trialed by NORDEN vessels

In the Netherlands, GoodFuels Marine in conjunction with bulker and tanker owner and operator NORDEN A/S has successfully completed trials of the world’s first zero emission, ‘drop in’ Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO)-equivalent marine biofuel – almost entirely reducing all carbon and Sulphur emissions.

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 tons of ‘drop in’ BFO taken onboard in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp region – were conducted on the 37,000 deadweight tons (dwt) Handysize product tanker vessel NORD HIGHLANDER as she ran in typical commercial operation in the North and Baltic Seas.

The successful operation effectively means that there is the capability to future-proof fuel requirements for shipowners 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% Sulphur cap requirements, as well as impending International Maritime Organization (IMO) Greenhouse Gas (GHG) 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% by 2030, and 70% by 2050.