Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and Astomos Energy participated in a marine biofuel demonstration project initiated by the Global Center for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD).
Biofuels can be used without remodeling the engines and infrastructure of the existing ship, according to a statement. Furthermore, despite the fact that they produce CO2 when burned, biofuels are considered carbon neutral because they are produced from plants and waste cooking oils.
Biofuels are expected to be one of the most promising next-generation fuels for decarbonisation, but there are still three issues to be resolved.
First, since biofuels have not yet been seriously put into practical use, many data verifications are still needed, such as the blending ratio with conventional fuels.
Second, since biofuels use fossil fuels in their production and transportation processes, they are not considered net zero emissions in Life Cycle Assessment.
Finally, the certification system is not standardised internationally, so the transparency of the biofuel supply chain is also an issue.
GCMD is a non-profit organisation (NPO), established by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and six industry partners.
GCMD has launched this project with the aim of creating an assurance framework to ensure the integrity of the supply chain of current and future green marine fuels, bringing real benefits to end users and the climate.
Eighteen companies and organisations, including NYK and Astomos, are involved in this project and demonstration trials will be conducted with an investment scale of approximately US$18 million.
One of the objectives is to establish transparency in the biofuel supply chain using tracer technologies, so this project is characterised by the participation of shipping companies as consumers.
Shipping companies will conduct a trial operation using biofuels and provide GCMD with data on the use of biofuels.
By facilitating and creating an optimised green fuel supply chain, this pilot will help shape national and international biofuel standards for the shipping industry and lower the barrier to their wider adoption to reduce GHG emissions from a life-cycle perspective.
