Ocean Network Express (ONE) has just completed its fourth biofuel trial – onboard the MOL ENDOWMENT.
It was conducted as part of the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation’s (GCMD) pilot project to establish a quality, quantity and GHG abatement assurance framework for drop-in biofuels.
The vessel was refuelled with 992 metric tons of marine biofuel product at the Port of Singapore on December 21, 2022. It is deployed on the carrier’s Japan Straits Malaysia service, and fully utilised the biofuel in 20 days.
Biofuel consumption started on January 7 after the vessel left the port of Kobe in Japan, passing Keelung, Hong Kong and then sailed to south-east Asia. The biofuel was fully consumed on January 26 on its return voyage to Japan from Port Klang.
The biofuel used was B24, a blend of Used Cooking Oil Methyl Ester (Ucome) and Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO). Ucome is produced from Used Cooking Oil (Uco), which is derived from residue or feedstocks labelled as 100% waste and has been certified for its sustainability in accordance with internationally recognised ISCC standards.
The blend was supplied by Chevron, and it is considered a sustainable fuel that is similar to petroleum-derived marine fuels in terms of its operational application. Tracing these biofuels along the supply chain from production to use is a key aspect of GCMD’s pilot to articulate a robust GHG abatement assurance framework. As such, the biofuel and its blends were dosed with a physical tracer and subjected to multiple samplings across its supply chain for laboratory analysis. The resultant data will be used by GCMD as inputs in developing the assurance framework. The trial required no modifications to the marine engines or fuel infrastructure. It also demonstrated that marine biofuel products can be considered ‘drop-in fuels’ for reducing carbon emissions from ships.
Digitisation of Bunkering Documents
The trial also marked a step forward in digitisation as the biofuel transaction was made digitally through the Singapore Trade Data Exchange (SGTraDex). SGTraDex is a digital utility that facilitates the sharing of data between supply chain ecosystem partners through a common data highway to enable secure exchange of information. During the biofuel trial, the exchange of documents between ONE and Chevron was made through SGTraDex. These documents include the certificate of quality, bunkering sales confirmation, bunker delivery note, bunkering sales invoice (delivery).
The digitisation of bunkering documents helped to reduce the paper-based processes and made the transaction more efficient and secure. “The maritime industry has many interconnected players, and collaboration is key in moving our decarbonisation ambition forward. It is encouraging to see the various partners at different points of the supply chain come together in this biofuel trial for the common goal of a better, more sustainable future. At ONE, digitisation and decarbonisation are some of our top business priorities,” said Jeremy Nixon, ONE CEO.
