IKEA Transport & Logistics Services, CMA CGM Group, and the GoodShipping Program have successfully completed their 2019 biofuel test programme
This follows positive trials of heavy fuel oil-equivalent (HFO) biofuel oil (GoodFuels BFO) during CMA CGM Alexander Von Humboldt’s Europe-Asia trip in September and October 2019.
This latest development follows the world’s first refuelling of a container ship with sustainable biofuel, when CMA CGM’s White Shark took on the bunker during a call at the Port of Rotterdam in March 2019.
A statement explains that sustainable biofuel oil was used in a blend with conventional fossil-based marine fuels to power a vessel on a major oceangoing route. Both applications of the biofuel oil showed a positive result, thus proving the technical compatibility of sustainable marine biofuels. These developments demonstrate the viability of advanced biofuels to meet current and future environmental regulations and emissions reductions targets, delivering a more sustainable shipping industry.
The biofuel oil trialled by CMA CGM across both vessels was supplied by GoodFuels, and is the first ever HFO-equivalent biofuel. All GoodFuels sustainable marine fuels are virtually SOx free and deliver 80-90% well-to-propeller CO2 reduction versus fossil equivalents.
The trials were achieved through IKEA Transport & Logistics Services’ participation in the GoodShipping Program, the world’s first decarbonisation initiative for cargo owners.
The GoodShipping Program explains that it works on the premise that, as all CO2 from shipping is emitted into the same atmosphere, the means of mitigating these emissions is equally impactful, regardless of which vessels adopt biofuels over traditional bunker fuels or the amount of ’drop in’ biofuel added to the fuel tank, as long as it offsets the CO2 costs of transporting participating shippers’ cargo.
IKEA Global Transport & Logistics Services head of sustainability Elisabeth Munck af Rosenschöld said “…It is only through collaboration and partnerships between major players, including cargo owners, ship operators and solution providers, that we can achieve real change at a fast pace. We need a diversified portfolio of solutions to achieve our ambitious emissions reduction targets – and marine biofuels are an important part of the puzzle going forward for our sector.”
CMA CGM Group vice president CMA Ships Xavier Leclercq said “This world premiere partnership with the GoodShipping Program and IKEA is further proof of CMA CGM Group’s commitment to improving the sustainability of the shipping industry, and of its pioneering role in developing innovative and environmentally friendly solutions. These landmark trials give the maritime sector a vital demonstration into the scalability, sustainability and technical compliance of marine biofuel oil.”
The GoodShipping Program chief executive Dirk Kronemeijer added “The success of this test programme with IKEA and CMA CGM builds further evidence of the important role that biofuel oil will play in the marine fuel mix, and proves that initiatives already exist on the market for cargo owners to realise their decarbonisation goals. The GoodShipping Program is committed to helping more cargo owners unlock the potential of this direct decarbonisation option in the near future, as our sector continues to establish and embrace its wider carbon reduction efforts.”
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