Successful first marine biofuel bunkering trial in Singapore

In Singapore, BHP, Oldendorff Carriers, and GoodFuels, with the support of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), conducted the first marine biofuel trial involving an ocean-going vessel bunkered in Singapore on April 4, 2021.

As part of the trial, the 2020-built 81,290 deadweight tonne dry bulk carrier Kira Oldendorff was refuelled with “drop-in” advanced biofuel blended with conventional fossil fuels.

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 trial will enable us to develop an informed strategy on the structural supply and use of biofuels to support BHP’s key shipping routes.

These objectives are in line with BHP’s strategy to assess biofuels as a potential low-carbon fuel of the future, which is an important step in enabling BHP to establish pathways for meeting one of its Scope 3 greenhouse gas emission goals for 2030, to support 40 per cent emissions intensity reduction of BHP-chartered shipping of our products.