K Line conducts its 1st operational trial of B100 biodiesel on car-carrier vessel

Photo: K Line

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. (K Line) announced May 16 that it has conducted its first trial use of marine B100 biodiesel.

The B100 was supplied by global energy-management company World Fuel Services to the car carrier Apollon Highway operated by K Line.

The B100 bunkering operation (Photo: K Line)

The marine B100 was delivered to the vessel at the Belgium port of Zeebrugge on March 31.

After leaving Europe’s emission-control area, the vessel started using 100 percent biodiesel.

The trial was completed April 30.

Marine biofuel, an environmentally friendly alternative fuel, can reduce CO2 by 80 percent to 90 percent in the well-to-wake process—from fuel generation to consumption—without changing current engine specifications.

In K Line’s environmental vision for 2050, the company has set the 2030 interim target of improving CO2-emission efficiency by 50 percent over 2008.

This surpasses the International Maritime Organization’s target of 40 percent improvement.

Furthermore, K Line intends to achieve net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050.

“As an action plan, we will continue to work on the introduction of new fuels, which have a low environmental impact and take on the challenge of achieving the targets set forth,” the company stated.