Peninsula’s new vessel to supply biofuels at hub ports in Strait of Gibraltar

Maritime fuel supplier Peninsula has welcomed into the fleet Hercules Sky, a modern oil chemical tanker.

With a tank capacity of 9000cbm and a pump rate above 500cbm/hr, the 2021-built Hercules Sky is a modern barge that will strengthen Peninsula’s physical operations in the Gibraltar Strait. The Panama-flagged vessel will enable Peninsula to deliver ISCC Certified Sustainable Marine Fuel as B100 ((100% biofuel) or blends thereof.

B100 biofuel, also known as pure biodiesel, refers to a type of biofuel that is 100% pure, renewable and made from plant-based sources such as soybeans, algae, or palm oil.

“This is the first barge of its kind in the Peninsula fleet and will enable us to continue offering smooth and tailormade supplies to our valued customers,” the company said.

The vessel delivery comes just a couple of months since Peninsula announced its plan to supply biofuels at its hub ports in the Strait of Gibraltar. This decision is part of the company’s strategy to address the increasing complexity of the marine fuel mix.

To this end, the company recently obtained a permit from the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) for physical supply operations in Gibraltar, Algeciras, and nearby ports. The permit allows Peninsula to supply biofuels from feedstocks that have fully traceable, sustainable, and GHG-reducing supply chains.

The fuel supplier wants to offer bioproducts in all physical locations where customer demand is sufficient.

In addition to this, Peninsula is working on continued investment in asset renewal, including several newbuilds to be welcomed to the fleet through 2023 and beyond.

The company’s new 12,500 m3 LNG bunker vessel, Levante, is scheduled to arrive in the Strait of Gibraltar this summer.

In recent years, biofuels have been gaining popularity in the maritime industry as a sustainable alternative to traditional fossil fuels. The use of biofuels, particularly biodiesel and bioethanol, has been driven by the need to reduce carbon emissions and comply with international regulations aimed at mitigating the environmental impact of shipping.

Biofuels can be used in existing diesel engines without major modifications, and they have similar performance and energy density as traditional fossil fuels. This makes biofuels an attractive option for the shipping industry as it can help them reduce their emissions without significant changes to their current operations.