VPS’ Captain Rahul Choudhuri has issued a clarion call for a new ISO biofuel standard at this year’s Maritime Decarbonisation Conference, Asia in Singapore
Highlighting the growing usage of biofuels across the industry, he shared that VPS’s lab testing for biofuels has more than doubled in the past year; Singapore’s biofuel volumes have increased fivefold and Rotterdam’s volumes have doubled. Vessel owner Hapag-Lloyd burned 213,000 tonnes of biofuel last year.
At the same time, he cautioned no one should confuse biofuels and fossil fuels as being the same.
Most biofuels are fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). This distinction is crucial, as FAME can produce a byproduct called glycerin, which can potentially damage engines and clog filters. Additionally, biofuels have unique characteristics, including an affinity to water, poor cold flow, and long-term stability issues, which must be carefully addressed.
This highlights the need for improved standards in biofuel testing and usage, and a more comprehensive industry understanding of biofuel properties and contaminants. The time has come for upgraded standards to properly use biofuels in the shipping industry.
"The current ISO821 standard for biofuels is not sufficient and should be upgraded to include more specific measurements. As the chair of the ISO working group for fuel specification, I am looking to upgrade the standard and welcome anyone interested in contributing to the group."
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