25/04/25
B100 seen attractive shipping fuel option after MEPC 83
Singapore, 25 April (Argus) — More buyers in the shipping sector will consider
biofuel blends of up to B100 now a greenhouse gas (GHG) pricing mechanism has
laid out by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), according to
panellists at the Argus Biofuels & Feedstocks Asia Conference. Global biodiesel
demand is likely to strengthen in the near-term following the emergence of
clearer international pricing standards for GHG emissions, they said. "B100
seems to have great momentum based on the [83rd Marine Environment Protection
Committee] MEPC meeting," said French certification society Bureau Veritas'
VeriFuel global business development director Bill Stamatopoulos. MEPC 83 is "a
clear indication that we have to work together and work fast" because there is a
cost penalty for not switching away from conventional marine fuels, said Danish
tanker owner Hafnia's general manager of project and fleet sustainability,
Pankaj Porwal. Most maritime participants welcomed the two-tier GHG pricing
framework approved by the IMO at MEPC 83 from 7-11 April, which is a key
milestone as the maritime sector pushes for decarbonisation. Biofuels like B24,
B30, and B100 will gain more interest because of cost-savings for buyers when
switching to cleaner fuels, said Singapore bunker supplier Equatorial Marine
Fuel's (EMF) chief operating officer Choong Sheen Mao. B24 is 24pc of used
cooking oil methyl ester (Ucome) blended with 76pc of conventional fuel, such as
very-low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), while B100 is pure biodiesel not blended with
fossil fuels. Panellists said bunkering B100 would provide significant
advantages for ships with voyages in EU waters, where firms can "pool" multiple
vessels within the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and FuelEU Maritime
Regulation to balance compliance surpluses and deficits. But vessel shipowners
would need to be "absolutely sure" of the amount of fuel required for the
voyage, to avoid any unknown consequences if excess biofuels were mixed with
other fuel types, said Hafnia's Porwal. The GHG pricing mechanism gives bunker
buyers a "strong indication" of the cost of not switching to alternative marine
fuels and this will drive biodiesel demand as buyers realise "they need to get
involved in some way", said EMF's Choong, adding that suppliers can consider
selling biodiesel if it is "commercially viable". There will be a minimum cost
of compliance in adhering with IMO decarbonisation targets, but smaller
shipowners should start running trials and "building quality control systems for
your marine fuels so you're prepared to take on greener fuels", said
International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) Asia chair Rahul Choudhuri. "At
the moment hedging is very much focused on VLSFO and gasoil… but as exposures
change and regulations change, we'll see more instruments being used to counter
[trading risks]," said shipbroker Braemar oil derivatives broker Rebecca
Reed-Sperrin. As the decarbonisation mandates grow, "hopefully liquidity
increases tremendously" for marine biofuels, she said. Challenges Panellists
cited several barriers in the widespread uptake of biofuels in the shipping
sector, such as availability of Ucome feedstock, controversies regarding
feedstock origin, and limited biodiesel shelf life compared to conventional
marine fuels. Fuel pricing and costs associated with bunkering biofuels surfaced
as key concerns. International regulations are complex and buyers have to assess
"what is [the] real price" taking into account IMO regulations, said Bureau
Veritas' Stamatopoulos. Charterers and tanker operators face difficulties in
securing a price without hidden costs involved, Italian ship owner Fratelli
Cosulich biofuel trading advisor Sebastiaan Bruins. B100 is available but
suppliers are not actively selling it as buying interest has been limited,
Bruins said. China will be a "dominant force" for B100 supplies because of a
larger Ucome volume, and market developments would depend on how China portions
domestic and export volumes of Uco, said Choong. Long-term uptake agreements for
biofuel with major shipowners would be important in scaling up biofuel bunker
supplies, said Indonesian state-owned refiner PT Pertamina's marine fuels
trading manager Justin Tan. Bunker buyers need to signal their interest
regarding biofuels "so we know where to start too", he said. The maritime sector
is still looking at a multifuel future since the supply of "Ucome alone cannot
meet shipping's needs", said Danish tanker owner Maersk senior green fuel
originator Felicia Ng. By Cassia Teo Send comments and request more information
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