The Port of Amsterdam is to use biofuel to power five of its patrol vessels and reduce emissions from the port.
Using 30% high quality biodiesel from GoodFuels Marine, the port says its vessels will run on the fuel and claims this will reduce emissions by 25%.
GoodFuels Marine’s biofuels offer an alternative to traditional fossil fuels, requiring no re-engineering or modifications to ship engines or propulsion systems, Astrid Sonneveld, Head of International & Marine Business Development at GoodFuels Marine told fathom-news. The biofuel used by the port’s patrol vessel is produced from certified waste flows that cannot be used in other industries or for other purposes, allowing the promotion of the circular economy.
To date the use of biofuels is a strategy of progressive shipowners – the early adopters group – and still a relatively new solution for emissions reduction. Although not yet as well known as liquefied natural gas to the majority of the maritime industry, the fleet-wide fuel switch by the Port of Amsterdam indicates increased interest and investment in their potential to reduce not just local air pollution but also greenhouse gas emissions coming from port operations.
Birger Kerckow, European Biofuels Technology Platform Bioenergy Secretariat told fathom-news that the further development of biofuels depends largely on the economies of different solutions and said that the right investment is needed to develop them further. Both the port of Amsterdam and the Port of Rotterdam’s interest in marine biofuels indicate opportunities for growth and investment in the fuel in the region.
Sonneveld said that the biofuel opportunity is open to all shipowners, even those who already embarked on the path to LNG. Dual fuel engines enable ships to be operated on either liquid (including bio) or gaseous marine fuels. Bio-derived fuels and LNG should be regarded complementary – not competing – options, Sonneveld said.
Dirk Kronemeijer, CEO of GoodFuels Marine said the company will invest further in storage, production and distribution of biofuels at the Port of Amsterdam in order to accelerate the development towards low-carbon shipping.
Fathom-News
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