Inland-shipping pilot confirms strength of optimized biodiesel blend

Photo: FincoEnergies

The pressure on the inland-shipping sector is growing.  

With stricter European regulations such as the Emissions Trading System (ETS2) and RED III, there’s no time to lose, according to FincoEnergies.   

FincoEnergies announced May 8 that, together with Argent Energy and sector partners, it is demonstrating that sustainable shipping is possible today—not just with hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), but also with fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) biodiesel.  

This optimized FAME blend is immediately applicable, cost-effective and reliable.  

With this product, FincoEnergies said it is accelerating the sustainability of inland shipping and making sustainable impact tangible.  

The inland-shipping sector must achieve a 14.5 percent chain CO2 reduction by 2030 as required by the RED III directive.  

Biofuels such as HVO and FAME already offer viable solutions.  

While HVO is often seen as expensive, FAME presents a scalable and more cost-effective alternative, according to FincoEnergies.  

“There are concerns, however, about the reliability of FAME, particularly in winter months,” the company stated. “This is why the [Dutch] ministry of infrastructure and water management has initiated a large-scale pilot monitored by TNO. Over one year, inland vessels test various FAME blends (up to B30). FincoEnergies is proud to be one of the three fuel suppliers involved in this initiative.”  

Together with Argent Energy, a leading European producer of waste-based biodiesel, FincoEnergies codeveloped an optimized FAME blend tailored to the requirements of Koninklijke Binnenvaart Nederland (KBN) to support the inland shipping effectively.  

This blend combines sustainability, reliability and ease of use:  

• 15 percent FAME and 85 percent regular diesel.   

• Parameters meet Diesel EN590 specifications.  

• Very low saturated monoglyceride value (prevents gelling and clogging at low temperatures).  

• Extra assurance: FincoEnergies said it offers filter-blocking tendency (FBT) tests to give ship owners apparent certainty about the fuel’s quality.  

“At FincoEnergies, we believe the decarbonization of inland shipping is possible today,” said Bas Goedegebuure with FincoEnergies. “Looking ahead, we find it essential to offer high-quality bio-alternatives alongside our conventional fuels. This FAME blend is a financially attractive and directly usable biofuel that fits seamlessly within existing infrastructure.”  

Jan Jaap Rodenburg, Argent Energy’s head of commercial, added, “The collaboration between all parties involved in this pilot illustrates how integration and knowledge sharing can lead to real, tangible outcomes for the maritime sector. The early results are promising and represent a cost-effective step toward decarbonizing inland shipping.”  

For the supply of this optimized FAME, FincoEnergies works closely with Oliehandel Terlouw, an independent fuel supplier with many years of experience in the maritime sector.  

The company already provides the sector with HVO and finds it essential to offer a reliable alternative to increase the possibilities.  

Customers can easily and reliably bunker this blend at the company’s bunker station in Capelle aan den IJssel in the Netherlands.  

“FincoEnergies and Terlouw have been working together for years and share the same core values—security of supply, price stability and the supply of high-quality biofuels that do not cause engine issues,” said Jacob Terlouw with Oliehandel Terlouw. “Our smooth collaboration ensures we can serve our customers in the best and most sustainable way possible. This optimized FAME meets all our quality requirements for a good biofuel. It can be bunkered just like regular diesel—no adjustments are required. This makes sustainability simple and practical for inland shipping.”  

Terlouw's decision to actively offer the new FAME blend underscores its commitment to the energy transition, FincoEnergies stated.  

By preparing its bunker station for biofuels, FincoEnergies said Terlouw is taking an important step toward a more sustainable maritime sector, with HVO and FAME as tangible available solutions. 

Both VT Group and Dekker Groep are participating in the pilot by the Dutch ministry.  

The first vessels from VT Group and all 11 cotrans vessels of Dekker Groep are already sailing on the optimized FAME blend.  

Their experiences demonstrate the practical viability of this biofuel.  

“Our core activity is nature-inclusive and sustainable sand extraction along rivers using our fleet,” said Cees Anker, a captain at Dekker Groep. “Our sand operations now run entirely on green electricity. There are still some challenges for our inland fleet, which is why we’re glad to participate in this pilot. The benefit of this FAME is that no engine modifications are needed. Of course, regular maintenance remains important, just like with conventional diesel, but our engines run smoothly on this biofuel.”  

Edwin Ros, CEO of VT Group, added, “VT Group is leading the way in decarbonizing the maritime industry. We already sail partially on LNG and have been researching FAME blends with FincoEnergies for years. Our B100 trial with the VT Vlissingen provided valuable insights, such as the importance of timely filter changes and the use of tracing heaters to prevent gelling. Thanks to this knowledge, switching to the optimized FAME blend has been seamless. The product meets Diesel EN 590 specs and is available at a regular diesel price. Together with FincoEnergies, we’re proving that sustainability is possible today with immediate CO2 reduction.”  

By participating in the pilot and working with frontrunners in the inland-shipping sector, FincoEnergies said it is proving that sustainable transformation is not a distant future goal—it’s a reality today.