Höegh Autoliners concludes its first carbon-neutral journey

Norwegian RoRo shipping company Höegh Autoliners has completed its first carbon-neutral voyage with Höegh Trigger vessel running on biofuel from Europe to South Africa.

During this trip, Höegh Trigger, the second in a series of six Post-Panamax vessels under the New Horizon design for Höegh Autoliners, ran on advanced biofuels meeting the highest sustainability standards.

The vessel departed Germany on 20 February and arrived on Durban on 19 March.

The GoodFuels’ biofuel used for the test run is free of sulphur oxides and it reduces the vessel’s carbon emissions by up to 90 per cent. The remaining emissions generated were offset through certificates from Gold Standard, to make the voyage completely carbon neutral.

This voyage signifies acceleration in the company’s decarbonisation efforts. Its success showed that biofuel is a viable choice for vessels in the fleet.

The New Horizon series can transport up to 8500 car equivalent units and were designed to minimise its impact on the environment. The vessels are equipped with the latest fuel-saving technologies, reducing CO2 emissions per car equivalent unit by 50 per cent compared with standard car carriers.

Using advanced biofuels to run existing fleets has a strong potential to significantly reduce emissions today, while new ship technologies evolve.

Andreas Enger, CEO at Höegh Autoliners said: “The success of this trial voyage demonstrates that with the use of alternative fuels like biofuel, we can contribute to significant steps towards decarbonisation in the maritime transportation industry.”

Isabel Welten, chief commercial officer at GoodFuels, added: “Working with shipping operators like Höegh Autoliners, we contribute to making ocean transport more sustainable and together play an essential role in reducing CO2 emissions in the maritime industry.”