Mabanaft and Hapag-Lloyd strike B30 biofuel supply deal

Germany’s energy company Mabanaft has concluded an agreement with compatriot shipping major Hapag-Lloyd for the supply of B30 biofuel in Hamburg.

As disclosed, the agreement entails an initial supply of 1,000 tonnes of B30 biofuel to Hapag-Lloyd, with a possibility for additional volumes in 2025.

The first test delivery from Mabanaft’s Waltershof tank terminal to Delaware Express, the 2008-built 7,300 TEU containership, was scheduled for December 12, 2024, in the port of Hamburg.

Mabanaft noted that the delivery followed an extensive analysis of possible bio-components that could be added to B30 biofuel, with all options analyzed for their quality and potential to reduce Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

“The demands on the shipping industry to use cleaner fuels will continue to increase in the coming years,” said Helmut Oldekamp, Head of Marine Fuels & Industry at Mabanaft. “We are prepared for this and will support our customers in the best possible way with solutions for the energy transition.”

Jan Christensen, Senior Director Global Fuel Purchasing at Hapag-Lloyd, added: “We are very pleased that Mabanaft is providing biofuels in the Port of Hamburg. The cooperation between suppliers and buyers and the establishment of real trials will help to further improve the availability of biofuels. Our goal is to achieve net-zero fleet operations by 2045 – and biofuels will play an important role in this.”

Michael Wiring, Senior Trader Marine Fuels at Mabanaft, pointed out that the Port of Hamburg has until now played a minor role in the business with bunker fuels such as B30 while Rotterdam and Singapore have been the main hubs for handling B30. “We want to change that. The agreement with Hapag-Lloyd is a great opportunity to make more B30 biofuel available in Hamburg in the future,” Wiring concluded.

In addition to biofuels, Mabanaft and Hapag-Lloyd previously agreed to explore options for the supply of ammonia as bunker fuel to Hapag-Lloyd in and around the Port of Hamburg and also the Port of Houston.