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Toyota, Singapore’s MPA eye biodiesel as bunker fuel

  • : Biofuels, Emissions, Oil products
  • 21/04/23

Japanese trading firm Toyota Tsusho and Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) are studying the possibility of using biodiesel as a bunker fuel, aiming to also explore the feasibility of providing regular supplies to ocean-going vessels as an alternative to conventional marine fuels.

Toyota and MPA will study the potential of using regular biodiesel instead of conventional marine fuels for vessels, through burning biodiesel as a marine fuel for the bunker barge Marlin Satu in Singapore, from this month until September.

The bunker barge is owned by Toyota Tsusho's affiliate Toyota Tsusho Petroleum. Toyota Tsusho is considering the possibility of using biofuels as a "bridging bunker fuel" because shipowners can burn biofuels without requiring significant changes to their existing ship engines.

The biodiesel for the study will come from Singapore producer Alpha Biofuels, starting with a blend of 30pc biodiesel and 70pc marine gasoil. The company plans to eventually change this ratio to 50:50.

The trial will also include measuring exhaust gas to check the effectiveness of biodiesel in cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as well as testing the oxidation stability of biodiesel in storage. This is to meet the International Maritime Organization's target to reduce GHG emissions by 50pc by 2050 in the shipping sector, Toyota Tsusho said.


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