Crown Oil supplies British Antarctic Survey research vessel with renewable diesel

Photo: Crown Oil

U.K.-based Crown Oil announced in late November that it has supplied 1 million liters (more than 264,000 gallons) of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), also known as renewable diesel, to fuel the world-famous RRS Sir David Attenborough operated by the British Antarctic Survey on its voyage from Madeira, Portugal, to Montevideo, Uruguay.

Using HVO is helping BAS and its parent body, the Natural Environment Research Council, reach net zero by 2040.

The RRS Sir David Attenborough is a leading global innovative research vessel that is changing how shipborne science is carried out in the polar regions.

It carries some of the most cutting-edge facilities in the world, allowing scientists to investigate the Arctic and Antarctica’s oceans, ice, atmosphere and seafloor. 

HVO is a fully renewable diesel that reduces net carbon emissions by up to 90 percent compared to conventional diesel.

As well as its substantial environmental benefits, HVO is an exceptional fuel for marine use due to its direct drop-in functionality, prolonged shelf life and improved cold-start performance—particularly beneficial given the freezing conditions that the RRS Sir David Attenborough is designed to operate in.

Crown Oil said its HVO is sourced from used cooking oil feedstocks only.

The company is also a recognized supplier under the U.K.’s Renewable Fuels Assurance Scheme, which, according to Crown Oil, guarantees that its product is credible, ethical and sustainably sourced.

Crown Oil is also approved by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification System GmbH, with its product verified at import, which the company said ensures the fuel is derived from a fully validated and auditable supply chain meeting the most stringent standards available.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have partnered with BAS to support the vessel’s significant work as their goals are aligned with our own,” said Mark Andrews, director at Crown Oil. “Running all our delivery vehicles on 100 percent HVO and being the U.K.’s first fuel supplier to be certified carbon neutral also helps to reduce their scope 3 emissions—something that we know can be a huge challenge given the nature of the industry. HVO is currently the only solution for vessels of this size to meet their sustainability goals without compromising on performance, and we look forward to continuing to support businesses and organizations across all sectors with their net-zero targets.”