Sweden's Stena Bulk is making a carbon-offsetting scheme available across its fleet, based on the use of sustainable biofuels.
The move follows a successful trial in April of GoodFuels-produced bunkers on one of its MR tankers.
The fuel is made from recycled cooking oil and forestry waste.
The options will range from 20% to 100% blends of biofuel, and will be based on an offsetting programme where the fuel is used within the Stena Bulk fleet, rather than necessarily on a specific ship.
"This allows customers to make use of low-carbon shipping options regardless of fuel availability on the specific route. It also guarantees that operation is performed without any disturbance to the shipment," the company said.
Chief executive Erik Hanell told TradeWinds that Stena Bulk can always calculate how much energy is required to transport a cargo.
"It is not necessary to bunker the volume that is required on the particular ship the customer [is] asking for, but we can do it on any of the ships in our fleet, to assure we can do it within a reasonable time after such customer asks for this," he said.
"It will be one way to take actions in meeting future requirements. This type of fuel is one step in many combined sustainable solutions that needs to be considered and can be used today."
Collaboration is key
Stena Bulk added that collaboration within the industry will also be a key element of decarbonisation, and it will continue to develop new solutions together with customers, partners and suppliers.
The 50,000-dwt Stena Immortal (built 2016) trialled 250 tonnes of the 100% biofuel bunkers over 10 days, loading in Rotterdam.
GoodFuels has said its product cuts greenhouse gas emissions by 83% and substantially reduces SOx emissions.
The Dutch company is now looking at feedstocks including sewage sludge and sawdust to boost capacity.
