Maersk tests biofuel

Photo: Maersk

The shipping line - together with a number of its customers, the H&M Group being the first one - is trialling the use of biofuel instead of traditional bunker.

The biofuel used in the pilot project has been the same blend of used cooking oil and heavy fuel oil, validated earlier this year in a trial carried out together with the Dutch Sustainability Growth Coalition and Shell. The blend has been certified as a sustainable fuel by the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification body.

According to Maersk, the biofuel entails savings of 85% compared to traditional bunker. The calculation is based on the fuels' full lifecycles, including all emissions from upstream production and transportation.

The so-called Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials will provide a procedure to ensure carbon savings are accredited to the carrier's customers appropriately.

"The biofuel trial on board Mette Maersk has proven that decarbonized solutions for shipping can already be utilized today, both technically and operationally. While it is not yet an absolutely final solution it is certainly part of the solution and it can serve as a transition solution to reduce CO₂ emissions today," Søren Toft, COO, Maersk, said.

Helena Helmersson, COO, the H&M Group, also commented, "Our high ambition to become climate positive by 2040 requires cooperation and engagement from all parties in the supply chain. We want to use our size to be a force for good and enable scaling innovative solutions, such as the carbon neutral ocean product, for a greener commercial transport."

To this Toft added, "We are so pleased to see a significant shift in sentiment and involvement from customers, fuel suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and competitors towards sustainable solutions."