K Line trials biodiesel fuel on tugboat at Nagoya Port

K Line Port Service Co., Ltd., a group company of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, has conducted a demonstrative test voyage with the tugboat Aihomaru operating in Nagoya Port using next-generation biodiesel fuel.

As informed, the biodiesel fuel was supplied by Toyotsu Energy Corporation on May 10th at Nagoya Port. According to K Line, the biodiesel fuel was made from waste cooking oil.

In the demonstrative test voyage, the fuel supply vessel (bunkering vessel) supplied marine biofuel to Aihomaru using a ship-to-ship method, with the aim of verifying that there is no hindrance to the series of ship operations and reducing CO2 emissions in operation.

Biodiesel fuel is carbon neutral defined in the IPCC guidelines*¹ and a decarbonized fuel that can be used without changing the specifications of existing marine diesel engines by mixed combustion with heavy fuel oil (HFO), which is the main fuel for ships.

The operation is part of K Line’s long-term decarbonisation goals. The company set a target of 50% improvement in CO2 emission efficiency in comparison with 2008, which exceeds the 2030 target of 40% improvement in CO2 emission efficiency (also in comparison with 2008) set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The firm is driving its own decarbonization efforts and supporting the decarbonization of society, declaring the target of attempting to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. Going forward, K Line noted that it will continue working to achieve these targets by introducing alternative fuels that can reduce environmental impact.

In December last year, K Line earmarked $740 million for environmental initiatives, including alternative fuel technologies and zero-carbon technologies.