FincoEnergies launches GoodFuels B15

Photo: FincoEnergies

FincoEnergies announced Dec. 4 the launch of GoodFuels B15, a 15 percent fatty acid methyl ester (FAME)-based biodiesel blend that helps the Dutch maritime industry reduce emissions immediately.

With GoodFuels B15, FincoEnergies said it is providing shipowners with a practical, reliable drop-in solution at a time when the need for concrete decarbonization measures continues to grow.

Now that the regulatory framework for higher FAME blends has been clarified, FincoEnergies said it provides inland and coastal shipping companies with a tangible step towards more sustainable operations they can take today. 

Changing regulatory landscape

From January onwards, Europe’s updated Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) raises the sustainability requirements for the Dutch maritime sector, increasing the urgency for practical decarbonization options.

Shipowners are expected to demonstrate real and measurable CO2 reductions, yet uncertainty around FAME blends above 7 percent previously created hesitation, even as demand for accessible and effective alternatives continued to rise.    

That uncertainty has now been resolved.

Recent European guidance (ES-TRIN and CESNI-EUROMOT) confirms that higher FAME blends are fully permitted in PRE-CCR, CCR I and CCR II engines without additional emission testing, provided that engine-manufacturer requirements are met.

Dutch authorities have also clarified that the Fuel Quality Directive’s 10 percent FAME limit does not apply to the inland-shipping sector since vessels do not operate on EN590 road diesel.

This removes a key barrier, making GoodFuels B15 a straightforward next step. 

GoodFuels B15: practical, scalable, impactful  

GoodFuels B15 is a drop-in biofuel blend that delivers measurable CO2 reduction while fitting seamlessly into existing vessel operations.

Fully aligned with the needs of the inland-shipping sector, the blend meets the specifications defined by Koninklijke Binnenvaart Nederland, ensuring it matches day-to-day practice on board.

GoodFuels B15 builds on FincoEnergies’ extensive experience with sustainable marine fuels and insights from its B15 inland-shipping trial, which shows strong, stable performance in real-world conditions.

“With GoodFuels B15, we offer shipowners a sustainable biofuel blend that performs as they expect—stable throughout the year, truly sustainable and fully compatible with their existing engines and operations,” said Bas Goedegebuure, who is responsible for inland shipping at FincoEnergies. “It’s a concrete step towards decarbonization they can take today, without complexity or disruption.”

The key benefits of GoodFuels B15 include:

• 15 percent FAME and 85 percent regular diesel. 

• Parameters meet EN590 diesel expectations. 

• Very low saturated-monoglyceride (SMG) value to prevent gelling and clogging in colder conditions.

• Filter-blocking tendency (FBT) testing for additional assurance. 

• Drop-in properties with no infrastructure or engine modifications required.

• Truly sustainable—produced from feedstocks that are 100 percent certified as waste or residue, with no negative land-use impact like deforestation and no competition with food production.

Built on collaboration  

GoodFuels B15 was developed through close collaboration between FincoEnergies and Argent Energy.

As one of Europe’s leading producers of waste-based biodiesel, Argent Energy contributed deep feedstock expertise and technical knowledge.

FincoEnergies leveraged its longstanding experience in sustainable marine fuels and operational understanding of the inland marine sector.

Together, these strengths resulted in a stable, reliable and high-quality FAME blend that meets the technical expectations of Dutch shipowners. 

“Our collaboration with FincoEnergies brought together the best of both worlds,” said Jan Jaap Rodenburg, Argent Energy’s chief commercial officer. “Our expertise in producing high-quality waste-based biodiesel and their deep understanding of the inland marine sector has resulted in a B15 blend that is technically robust, operationally reliable and fully aligned with shipowners’ expectations.”

Ready for today’s operations 

GoodFuels B15 is now available to the Dutch maritime industry, utilizing a bunkering process identical to that of regular diesel.

The FAME blend is already available at Oliehandel Terlouw, along with higher FAME blends up to B30 for shipowners aiming for even more CO2 reduction.