Nippon Yuka Kogyo Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the NYK Group, has announced the upcoming release of BioxiGuard, Japan’s first antioxidant developed specifically for marine biodiesel fuel.
The product will be available starting 10 August 2025.
As the maritime industry increasingly turns to biofuels — produced from materials such as grains and used cooking oil — to support decarbonisation efforts, concerns persist over their chemical stability.
Unlike petroleum-based fuels, biodiesels contain higher levels of unsaturated fatty acids, making them more prone to oxidation.
This can lead to the formation of sludge and acidic compounds, which degrade fuel quality and can harm vessel performance.
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In response, Nippon Yuka has developed BioxiGuard to improve the oxidation stability of biodiesel fuels.
Based on studies of biofuel used in NYK-operated vessels, the additive is designed to mitigate issues like metal corrosion, strainer clogging, and fouling of cleaning systems—common problems linked to oxidised fuel.
Laboratory tests indicate that adding BioxiGuard at a 1:500 ratio can reduce the rate of biofuel degradation by approximately 50 per cent, potentially extending fuel shelf life and supporting more reliable vessel operations.
