Japanese shipowner Mitsui OSK Line (Mol) plans a trial voyage using biofuel as an alternative bunker fuel for a Panamax bulk carrier, as part of its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the maritime sector.

Mol Drybulk, which is Mol's wholly owned subsidiary, will fuel around 500t of marine biofuel at the end of June in Singapore for the bulk carrier CS Olive. The biofuel is made from 100-120t of used cooking oil blended into very-low sulphur fuel oil, verified by sustainability certification system International Sustainability and Carbon Certification.

The biofuel will be delivered from Chevron Singapore, following a supply agreement between Mol and Chevron. The two companies expect to cut 15-20pc of carbon dioxide (CO2) by using the biofuel compared with conventional marine fuel.

Mol has also started biofuel trials for car carriers in Europe. Its wholly-owned subsidiary Euro Marine Logistics in April 2021 completed 370t of biofuel bunkering for its car carrier Citi of Oslo at the port of Flushing in the Netherlands, following a biofuel supply contract with Dutch biofuel supplier GoodFuels.

Mol in June 2021 set out its environmental strategy, aiming to accelerate the use of alternative marine fuels in its fleet to reduce CO2 emissions and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.