MOL to start sea trials of Panamax bulk carrier powered by marine biofuel

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. announced June 10 that its group company, MOL Drybulk Ltd., will start sea trials of Panamax bulk carrier C.S. Olive chartered from Chugoku Sougyo Co. Ltd. using marine biofuel in late June.

MOL has signed a deal for biofuel supply with Chevron Singapore Pte. Ltd. Approximately 500 tons of biofuel certified by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification will be bunkered on the vessel at Port of Singapore.

The biofuel supplied by Chevron Singapore is blended with used cooking oil methyl ester as a 20 to 24 percent component in the very low sulfur fuel oil.

This marine biofuel can be used on vessels without changing engine specifications and is expected to decrease approximately 15 to 20 percent of exhausted CO2 based on lifecycle analysis.

Biofuel is positioned as an effective alternative to fossil fuels in the MOL Group’s new environmental strategy “MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.1,” which was announced one year ago.