Eagle Bulk Shipping completes fossil-free voyage on marine biofuel in partnership with GoodFuels

Eagle Bulk Shipping, one of the world’s largest owner-operators within the Supramax and Ultramax dry bulk segment, has successfully completed a fossil-free voyage in partnership with GoodFuels.

As part of Eagle Bulk Shipping’s ambitions to improve the environmental performance of its fleet, the 63,529 deadweight tonnage bulk carrier Sydney Eagle was bunkered with GoodFuels’ advanced marine biofuel for the first time during its call at Terneuzen, the Netherlands. Eagle Bulk Shipping’s carbon footprint is substantially reduced when using GoodFuels’ sustainable marine biofuel, which enables an 80 to 90 percent well-to-exhaust CO2 reduction. GoodFuels’ advanced biofuels are produced from certified renewable feedstocks labeled as 100 percent waste or residue that cannot be used for any higher-quality application or recycling, such as used cooking oil and waste animal fats. The biofuels “drop in” to tanks without any alterations to the fuel infrastructure or marine engines, and ensure compliance with the International Maritime Organization’s sulfur cap as they are virtually free of all SOx emissions. Importantly for the use and uptake of biofuels, GoodFuels meets the highest sustainability requirements, and its entire portfolio of biofuels are reviewed by an independent sustainability board.

This announcement comes at a critical time as the maritime industry faces an urgent need to reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions and commit to sustainable shipping. Owners and operators, such as Eagle Bulk Shipping, are already required to meet the 0.5 percent sulfur limit as enforced in January 2020, and recently adopted regulation will require ships to improve their energy efficiency, in line with the IMO’s target to reduce the average carbon intensity of shipping by at least 40 percent by 2030 and 70 percent by 2050. Sustainable biofuels are a leading contender for marine decarbonization due to their drop-in characteristics, well-tuned infrastructure, and ability to enable stakeholders to comply with current and imminent environmental legislation. They are also one of the few solutions that already exist on the market today and are available for all vessel types. “This announcement is the latest step in scaling our low-carbon biofuels for wider commercial use within the maritime industry,” said Isabel Welten, chief commercial officer at GoodFuels. “With our ambition to become the principal sustainable fuel supplier for the global transport industry, and our offer of mature 100 percent biofuels, GoodFuels is perfectly positioned to facilitate the energy transition for owners and operators.” Jonathan Dowsett, director of fleet performance at Eagle Bulk Shipping, said, “Eagle continues to actively explore ways to decarbonize its fleet, while maximizing efficiency in line with international targets to reduce carbon intensity and absolute emissions from shipping. We are extremely pleased with the results of our first biofuel-powered test voyage and look forward to working with GoodFuels in the future.”