GoodFuels supplies biofuel to NYK from new Asia-Pacific branch

Dutch marine biofuels provider GoodFuels has supplied sustainable marine biofuel to NYK’s bulk carrier MV Frontier Explorer, in the first such delivery to a maritime client since the company opened its Singapore office.

MV Frontier Explorer was refuelled with biofuel in a blend with very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) during its port call to Singapore on 5 July, en route from Australia to India.

The delivery was the first to be managed under GoodFuels’ partnership with ITOCHU, which was announced in May. ITOCHU was responsible for logistics, blending and distribution of the biofuel blend, whilst GoodFuels handled sourcing, technical expertise, and sales, including working closely with NYK’s technical and commercial team. GoodFuels also worked with a licensed bunker supplier to carry out the bunkering.

The bunkering comes as a significant milestone for GoodFuels, with the organisation quick off the mark in Asia Pacific to respond to the growing demand for low-carbon marine fuels.

What is more, the bunkering marks the next evolution in GoodFuels’ growing relationship with NYK. GoodFuels first supplied an NYK-owned vessel with biofuel in January 2019 in Rotterdam.

“It’s important to underline just how significant this first refueling with NYK is for GoodFuels’ presence in Asia. Just a few months after commencing operations in Singapore, and hot on the heels of our recent agreement with ITOCHU, we are proving to the market that we are ready to supply our sustainable biofuels solutions to meet growing demand in the region,” Jing Xieng JX Han, General Manager, GoodFuels Asia Pacific, commented.

“We anticipate that demand for sustainable marine biofuels will continue to grow in Asia, particularly as the global efforts to decarbonise shipping intensify.”

“We are excited to continue our collaboration with GoodFuels, following our mutual ambition to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted from ships by oceangoing shipping around the world,” Yusuke Niizuma, Manager Global Mineral Resources Group at NYK Line, added.

“In the process of achieving the long-term target of net-zero emissions of GHG by 2050, continuously increasing biofuel usage within the group’s fleet is one of our ESG activities.”

Last month, NYK and NYK Group company Shin-Nippon Kaiyosha Corporation started test navigation using 100% concentration of biodiesel in tugboats operated by Shin-Nippon Kaiyosha. Said to be the first such case in Japan, the trial was conducted using Neste renewable diesel supplied by fuel products distributor Itochu Enex.

GoodFuels’ partnership with ITOCHU, which saw the companies agree to cooperate on providing access to sustainable marine biofuels in all Singaporean territorial waters, waterways, and harbours, will also see both organisations work together to scale up supply of sustainable marine biofuel in Asia Pacific by identifying potential feedstocks.