MOL bunkering vessel trials biodiesel fuel

Japanese bunkering vessel Techno Star has been successfully operated using biodiesel fuel (BDF) supplied by Aburatou Shoji K.K.

The 800 dwt ship is owned and operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines group company MOL Techno-Trade (MOL Tech).

Classification society ClassNK certified that nitrogen oxygen (NOx) emissions from the vessel during BDF combustion are within emissions limits set by international regulations including the MARPOL Convention.

BDF used for the vessel as fuel is fatty acid methyl ester generated through transesterification of collected waste cooking oil with methanol. BDF is a biomass energy resource, which exhausts carbon dioxide (CO2) during combustion, but the plants that provide its raw material absorb CO2 and reproduce biomass, so CO2 emissions during combustion can be reduced. BDF supplied for the vessel is used by increasing mixing ratio with Class A heavy fuel to more than 30% first time in Japan, which is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 25-30%.

The MOL Group set a target of achieving net zero GHG emissions by 2050. The company’s environmental vision calls for an adoption of clean alternative fuels to achieve this target, positioning biomass as an effective alternative to fossil fuels.

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