NYK begins its 1st long-term biofuel test on VLCC oil tanker, transports its 1st SAF shipment on another vessel

NYK's Tenjun vessel (Photo: NYK Line)

Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) announced May 27 that, on May 2, the company began a long-term test of marine biofuel on its very-large crude-oil carrier (VLCC) Tenjun.

The vessel received an initial supply of biofuel in Singapore and will continue use of the ecofriendly marine fuel for approximately three months in order to comprehensively verify the safe and stable procurement of biofuel for long-term use.

NYK has conducted many short- and long-term safety trials of biofuel use on bulk carriers, car carriers and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers, but this is the first time an NYK-operated VLCC has engaged in a long-term biofuel trial.

Since biofuels can be used in ship engines powered by heavy oil, which are common on large merchant ships, they are considered a key means of reducing greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions in the transition period from heavy oil to zero-emission fuels, according to NYK.

The company also announced May 27 that NYK Bulkship (Asia) Pte. Ltd. (NBAsia) began its first shipment of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) May 25.

The SAF left Singapore on medium-range (MR) product tanker and will be unloaded at the port of Los Angeles and San Francisco and delivered to airports in the region.

SAF is a jet fuel made from renewable raw materials such as waste cooking oil.

It is considered environmentally friendly and can reduce GHG emissions by up to 80 percent compared to existing jet fuel derived from crude oil.

Neste, the world’s leading producer of sustainable fuels, began operations at its newly expanded SAF manufacturing plant in Singapore in June 2023.

Its SAF is used at major airports in the U.S., Germany, Singapore, Japan and more.

On 15 previous voyages, NBAsia has transported Neste’s refined diesel fuel, which is used to power construction equipment, trucks and automobiles.

“NBAsia will continue to contribute to realizing a sustainable society through the transportation of next-generation decarbonized fuels, such as renewable diesel and SAF,” NYK stated.