NYK Line successfully trials Toyota Tsusho Marine Fuel’s biofuel

Japanese shipping company NYK Line has successfully conducted a biofuel trial onboard a wood-chip carrier.

PHOTO: Wood-chip carrier Daio Austral receiving biodiesel fuel. NYK Line

The trial was conducted on Daio Austral - a bulk carrier designed specifically for transporting wood chips. This was the first NYK-operated oceangoing vessel to receive biodiesel fuel in Japan, NYK Line says.

The vessel was bunkered with an unspecified amount of biodiesel fuel at Kinuura port in Japan, and then made a successful test voyage to Cai Lan port in Vietnam.

Supplied by bunker supplier Toyota Tsusho Marine Fuel, biodiesel fuel is derived “by methyl esterification of vegetable oils and fats.” Methyl esterification is a chemical process to convert oil and fats into methyl esters.

"Since biofuels can also be used in heavy oil–fired engines, they are considered to be a powerful means of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during the transition from heavy oil to zero-emission fuels,” NYK Line says.

However, NYK Line has not shared much insight into the nature of the biofuel or the share of it blended into oil-based bunker fuels. B20-30 biofuel blends of 20-30% biofuel to 70-80% VLSFO/LSMGO-HSFO are typical, but blends can vary all the way from B5-100.

By Tuhin Roy

Please get in touch with comments or additional info to news@engine.online