A bunkering vessel called Techno Star, owned and operated by Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) group company MOL Techno-Trade has carried out successful operations using a biodiesel fuel (BDF).
The fuel – supplied by Aburatou Shoji – is produced using glycerin and fatty acids from cooking oil which are then separated from oils and fats through a reaction with methanol. This generates fatty acid methyl ester through transesterification, in which the fatty acids and methanol are bonded. The BDF for the vessel is used by increased the mixing ratio with Class A heavy fuel to over 30%. It is estimated the mix will reduce CO2 emissions by 25-30%.
When utilizing the fuel, Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (Class NK) certified that the vessel’s NOx emissions were within the emissions limits set by international regulations. This also marked the first certification by Class NK in Japan.
Having set targets to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, the MOL Group is positioning biomass as an effective alternative to fossil fuels.