Neste to supply renewable chemical feedstock to PCS

Spanish Market: Biofuels, Petrochemicals
18/11/24

Finland's Neste will supply Singapore-based chemicals company PCS with renewable material feedstock for production of plastics.

The Neste RE material will be supplied to PCS for use at a site on Jurong Island, Singapore. Neste RE is based on waste products including used cooking oil (UCO) or waste residues from vegetable oil processing.

PCS produces ethylene, propylene and butadiene for consumers across Asia-Pacific. The first deliveries from PCS will include butadiene, the company said. Initial buyers include Mitsubishi, Toray Plastics in Malaysia and Synthomer.

Neste previously said beverage maker Suntory will produce PET bottles derived from bio-paraxylene converted from bio-naphtha by the Finnish refiner.

By George Barsted

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18/11/24

US, Norway give $110mn to Brazil Amazon Fund

Rio de Janeiro, 18 November (Argus) — The US and Norway will contribute a combined $110mn to Brazil's Amazon Fund to reduce emissions from deforestation and promote sustainable forest management. President Joe Biden announced the US' $50mn contribution to the fund from the Amazonian city of Manaus on Sunday. He is the first sitting US president to visit the Amazon rainforest. This adds to the $50mn disbursed by the US to the fund earlier this year, Biden said. Norway will contribute $60mn, citing a 31pc decrease in Amazon deforestation achieved from August 2023-July 2024. "Brazil's success in reducing deforestation is clear proof of the ambitions and determination of the Lula government," Norway's prime minister Jonas Gahr Store said from Rio de Janeiro. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has pledged zero deforestation by 2030. Norway was the first country to contribute to the Amazon Fund, which was set up during Lula's first term in 2008. It was suspended in 2019 during the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro, a climate skeptic, and reinstated when Lula returned to power in 2023. Projects worth a record R882mn ($151.6mn) have been approved so far this year according to Brazil's Bndes development bank, which manages the Fund. By Constance Malleret Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Hong Kong unveils green maritime fuel action plan

18/11/24

Hong Kong unveils green maritime fuel action plan

Shanghai, 18 November (Argus) — The Hong Kong special administrative region government unveiled a green maritime fuel action plan on 15 November, aimed at making the region a top-tier centre for green fuel bunkering and reducing carbon emissions from the port of Hong Kong. According to the Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering, Hong Kong aims to curb carbon emissions in line with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which targets 20% emissions reduction in international shipping by 2030 and a 70% reduction by 2040, compared with 2008 levels, before achieving net-zero emissions by or around 2050. The plan also targets to reduce carbon emissions from Hong Kong-registered ships by at least 11pc, compared with 2019 levels, and have 55pc of diesel-fuelled vessels in the government fleet switch to green maritime fuels by 2026. Hong Kong will target lower carbon emissions from the Kwai Tsing Container Terminals by 30pc, compared with 2021, and ensure that 7pc of its registered ships use green maritime fuels by 2030. Separately, the plan outlines that Hong Kong will have completed the development of the Code of Practice (CoP) on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and green methanol bunkering by 2025. The government will also invite industry expressions of interest by end-2025 for the conversion of a land parcel near the port in Tsing Yi South for green maritime fuel storage. Hong Kong is expected to achieve an annual sale of over 200,000t of green marine fuels by 2030, with over 60 LNG or green methanol bunkering services for ocean-going vessels a year, according to the plan. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Adv Fame marine blend premiums to fossil hit year lows

15/11/24

Adv Fame marine blend premiums to fossil hit year lows

London, 15 November (Argus) — The premiums of advanced fatty acid methyl ester (Fame) 0 ARA marine biodiesel blends to fossil fuel counterparts were marked at 2024 lows on 14 November, according to Argus assessments. Calculated B30 Advanced Fame 0 dob ARA prices fell by $31.54/t to $623.25/t, the lowest since March 2023. Calculated B100 Advanced Fame 0 dob ARA values tumbled by $102.77/t to just over $820/t, their lowest since 22 November last year. Consequently, the outright premium held by the B30 blend against very-low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) dob ARA narrowed by $30.54/t on the day to $123.25/t on 14 November — its narrowest since 29 December 2023. B100 held a $158.52/t premium to marine gasoil (MGO) dob ARA, down by $106.77/t on the day and its lowest premium this year. EU emissions trading system (ETS) prices were assessed at $71.79/t on 14 November. Accounting for EU ETS costs on the same day, ETS-inclusive premiums held by Advanced Fame blends against their fossil counterparts hit their lowest since the introduction of EU ETS into maritime at the turn of the year. B30 Advanced Fame 0's ETS-incorporated premium against VLSFO narrowed by $31.27/t to $96.11/t on the day to 14 November. B100 Advanced Fame 0's premium against MGO dropped by $109.28/t to $66.45/t when ETS costs were accounted for. Advanced Fame marine biodiesel blend values declined with thin spot demand owing to a shift in voluntary demand east of Suez. As a result, containerships seeking to deliver proof of sustainability (PoS) documentation to their customers, to offset the latter's scope 3 emissions, shifted their marine biodiesel demand to Singapore when feasible. PoS can be obtained on a mass-balance system, allowing shipowners flexibility with regards to the port at which a blend can be bunkered. Lacklustre demand for the blends was complimented by soaring values for Dutch renewable tickets. The calculated Advanced Fame dob ARA range prices incorporate a deduction for HBE-Gs. These are a class of Dutch renewable fuels units, or HBEs, used by companies that bring liquid or gaseous fossil fuels into general circulation and are obligated to pay excise duty/energy tax on fuels. Dutch renewable HBE-G tickets were marked at €22/GJ on 14 November, their highest since Argus assessments began. Soaring HBE-G values were attributed](https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2628738) to gains in European hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) prices, tight supply because of a decline in tickets from biofuels used in shipping and less overall biofuel blending in the fourth quarter. By Hussein Al-Khalisy Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Cop: Korea’s Plagen plans Azeri green methanol plant

15/11/24

Cop: Korea’s Plagen plans Azeri green methanol plant

Baku, 15 November (Argus) — South Korean clean energy firm Plagen has signed an initial agreement to develop a green methanol production plant near the port of Baku, Azerbaijan. Plagen expects that the plant, which it described as Azerbaijan's first green methanol facility, will produce 10,000 t/yr of the fuel by 2028. It will use Plagen's technology, the firm said at a side event at the UN Cop 29 climate summit today. The methanol will be produced from agricultural waste and wood waste, including hazelnuts shells and almond shells, which will be sourced from Azerbaijan, Plagen chief executive officer John Kyung said. The production process yields 96t of methanol from 300t of biomass. The produced methanol will be used as bunker fuel, and contribute Baku port's goal to reach "carbon neutrality" by 2035 amid increased traffic through the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, as ships seek alternatives to the fraught Suez Canal route. Kyung said today that the firm also has plans to produce green methanol at Indonesia's Batam to supply as bunker fuel to Singapore, the biggest bunkering port in the world. Plagen also expects 32,000 t/yr of green methanol production by 2027 at a plant in Taebaek, South Korea. This is up from 10,000 t/yr as previously planned . By Tng Yong Li Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Brazil starts US, Canada PE-dumping probe

14/11/24

Brazil starts US, Canada PE-dumping probe

Sao Paulo, 14 November (Argus) — Brazil's government has started an anti-dumping investigation into polyethylene (PE) produced in the US and Canada. The country's foreign trade committee Gecex launched the investigation on 13 November following allegations from the sole Brazilian PE producer, major petrochemical company Braskem, that these countries are exporting PE to Brazil at prices below what is considered fair market value. Overall imported PE prices into Brazil have been in a downward trend since July, pushing down Braskem prices in the domestic market. Gecex said it will analyze export prices and compare them with those in the domestic markets of both countries. If dumping is confirmed, corrective measures may be applied to protect the Brazilian industry. A preliminary analysis has identified significant evidence of dumping, justifying the continuation of the investigation, Gecex said. It added that there was a considerable increase in PE imports from these countries — especially from the US — during the period being investigated, which may have contributed to the decline in domestic prices and harmed the domestic producer. The preliminary analysis of dumping evidence covered 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. The damage analysis period extended from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2024. The anti-dumping investigation into PE imports from the US and Canada was preceded by an increase in import taxes on a number of polymers and chemicals to 20pc from 12.6pc, including PE, polypropylene (PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), effective since 15 October. Repercussions An international trader specializing in polymer imports into Brazil told Argus that if anti-dumping duties are applied, his company's PE imports from the US to Brazil could drop by 20-30pc. "The decision has a 10-month deadline to be presented, but I believe it will be implemented and possibly announced earlier," he said, adding that this is another Braskem maneuver to regain its traditional 70pc market share in the Brazilian market. If confirmed, the measure is expected to have a significant impact on the Brazilian economy, especially on the plastic products manufacturing industry, as imports of finished plastic products could rise substantially, the trader said. One US-based trader selling US and Canada PE into Brazil sees the possible application of anti-dumping measures on the products as a structural development. "We will need to source PE in different production regions such as Asia and the Middle East, developing new ways of logistics, cash flows, ways of payment, to make it work flawlessly as it currently works with North American PE," the trader told Argus . "Prices should go up and we will increase our margins on PE sales." Brazil's January-September PE production increased by 1pc to 1.7mn t from the same period in 2023, while domestic sales fell bu 2pc to 1.24mn t. In contrast, PE imports jumped by 45pc to 1.54mn t, resulting in an apparent consumption of around 2.8mn t, up by 20pc higher year-on-year and a record high. By Fred Fernandes Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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