TOKYO-Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd., its wholly-owned company MOL Chemical Tankers Pte. Ltd. (MOLCT), leading commodity trading company Trafigura Pte Ltd., and its vessel fuel supply joint-venture company TFG Marine Pte Ltd, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) this month. The MOU is for a joint study on the full-scale supply of biodiesel fuel (BDF) for MOLCT-operated vessels in bunkering ports around the world. Based on the MOU, the companies will move forward with the study, with the intention to establish a global supply of BDF for MOLCT's operated fleet.

As a part of the joint study, the companies have conducted a sea trial using TFG Marine-supplied BDF on the MOLCT-operated chemical tanker 'Niseko Galaxy'. About 200 metric tonnes of BDF were bunkered in the Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in early March, with the sea trial completing as the vessel reached its journey off the U.S. Gulf Coast.

TFG Marine's BDF supplied for the sea trial required no modifications to the vessel's diesel engine. The use of BDF is expected to achieve a 25~30% reduction in CO2 emissions on a mix of 30% BDF and 70% conventional heavy fuel oil.

In June 2021, the MOL Group announced a target of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) by 2050 (see the 'MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.1' Fig.1).

The Group set the initiative to 'adopt clean alternative fuels' (Fig.2) to help achieve this target, positioning BDF as an effective alternative to fossil fuels. MOL and MOLCT are continually promoting the adoption of BDF in a proactive manner, contributing to GHG emissions reduction in the process of ocean transport.

[MOL Group's efforts related to biodiesel fuels]

December 14, 2020 (MOL, euglena)

MOL and euglena Co. Conduct Sea Trial of MOL Group Tugboat Using euglena Biodiesel Fuel for the First time in Port of Nagoya

June 30, 2021 (MOL, Euro Marine Logistics N.V.)

MOL's Wholly Owned Euro Marine Logistics Starts Sea Trials of Car Carrier Powered by Biofuel (the car carrier 'City of Oslo')

January 16, 2022 (MOL, Euro Marine Logistics N.V.)

MOL's wholly owned Euro Marine Logistics Starts Sea Trials of Car Carrier Powered by Biofuel (car carrier 'City of St. Petersburg')

February 9, 2022 (MOL, MOL Techno-Trade)

MOL Group Bunkering Vessel Successfully Operated Using Biodiesel Fuel

March 23, 2022 (MOL Logistics, Euglena)

MOL Logistics Group to Start Operating Trucks Powered by Euglena's Renewable Diesel Fuel

March 29, 2022 (MOL, MOL Ferry, euglena)

Japan's 1st Sea Trial of Large Ferry with Renewable diesel fuel

(C) 2022 Electronic News Publishing, source ENP Newswire