Astomos Energy Corporation (Astomos) and NYK Line have completed a pilot on the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier Lycaste Peace (owned by NYK Line and chartered by Astomos), bunkering FAME B24* marine biofuel in Singapore.
The test voyage was completed on 26 February.
The demonstration is part of a project, led by the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD), to establish an assurance framework for the supply chain of sustainable biofuels in order to ensure their wider adoption by the industry.
The GCMD is a non-profit organisation in Singapore that aims to support the decarbonisation of the shipping industry.
The framework will help to establish supply chain transparency for next-generation fuels other than biofuels, such as ammonia.
Astomos, NYK Line, and the biofuel bunker supplier proved that the sustainable biofuels used is traceable along the supply chain, by tracking the transport of biofuel from the place of production to Singapore.
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Biofuels can be used without modifying a ship’s engine or a port’s infrastructure.
Biofuels are considered carbon-neutral because they are made from biomass and feedstock, such as waste cooking oil, despite releasing carbon dioxide (CO2) when combusted.
This project, announced at the end of July 2022, involved Astomos and NYK Line, as part of a consortium consisting of 19 industry partners and 13 vessels, including container ships, tankers, and bulk carriers bunkering in five supply chains.
In January 2023, NYK ordered its fifth liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) dual-fuel very large LPG/liquefied ammonia gas carrier (VLGC) from Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI).
Astomos and NYK Line will continue to collaborate on efforts to establish transparency in the next generation fuel supply chain, including marine biofuels, according to NYK Line.
