Australia's BHP explores ship biofuel blend made from cooking oil, animal fat
Australia's BHP and Singapore's Global Center for Maritime Decarbonization have blended biofuel made from used cooking oil and waste animal fat to refuel a cargo ship in a pilot project, the companies said in a joint statement on Wednesday.
The need to explore novel blends comes as the shipping industry continues to look for scalable alternatives to conventional marine fuels to help cut emissions.
Used cooking oil currently dominates biofuels for ship refueling, but due to supply constraints, companies are looking into other waste-based feedstocks such as animal fats.
The blend was used to power a BHP-chartered bulk carrier - the Berge Lyngor, owned and operated by Berge Bulk - transporting iron ore from Western Australia to China.
The vessel bunkered in Singapore in early May with a full biofuel blend consisting of 50% tallow-derived biodiesel, sourced and supplied by HAMR Energy, and 50% used cooking oil, supplied by Mitsui & Co. Energy Trading Singapore.
BHP and GCMD said the pilot will assess how biofuels from multiple feedstocks can be blended, handled and introduced under real-world operating conditions, using existing bunkering infrastructure applied for used cooking oil.
The project will identify solutions to challenges related to fuel quality, handling, traceability and onboard vessel performance.
It will also evaluate potential issues that may emerge from using biofuels made from different feedstocks, including corrosion from oxidation and fuel system clogging caused by wax formation.
Running on the bio-blend can reduce well-to-wake greenhouse gas emissions by about 79% for one voyage versus sailing on conventional very low sulphur fuel oil, BHP and GCMD said. Well-to-wake covers fuel production, delivery and its use onboard ships.
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