Hapag-Lloyd Cruises successfully trials GoodFuels’ biofuel blend

Germany-based cruise line Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has successfully concluded trial run of a biofuel blend supplied by Dutch supplier GoodFuels.PHOTO: Biofuel stem supplied to the HANSEATIC inspiration in the Netherlands. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

The trial was carried out on the company’s expedition vessel, HANSEATIC Inspiration in the Netherlands.

The vessel was bunkered with biofuel, produced mainly from used cooking oils, and blended with conventional marine gas oil (MGO).

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ chief executive Julian Pfitzner claims that the biofuel component of the MGO blend is almost free of sulphur oxides and can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 90% compared to conventional fossil fuels.

However, the company did not disclose the ratio of biofuel to MGO - which has big implications for its carbon emission reduction potential.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ has been using MGO for its global fleet since 2020 and intends to use more of biofuel blends in future.

Shipowners have been increasingly exploring the use of biofuels to reduce near-term carbon emissions as these can be used as drop-in fuels after being blended with conventional fuels.

This month, Japanese conglomerate Marubeni Corporation successfully completed a pilot run of a biofuel blend onboard an ethylene carrier. And Spanish oil company Cepsa successfully trialled biofuel on one of its vessels, and is set to offer the blend to its customers.

By Tuhin Roy

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