Unifeeder trials 100% biofuel bunkering

In September 2021, feeder vessel Elbsummer was bunkered with a 50/50 mix of biofuel and MGO before an engine overhaul which allowed 100% biofuel to be trialled. Unifeeder has now bunkered 400 tonnes of VARO’s Advanced Renewable Biofuel B100A during Elbsummer’s recent call to the Port of Rotterdam.

“Being able to operate our vessels on 100% biofuel is a true game-changer and a major stepping stone on Unifeeder’s journey towards net-zero emissions,” said Hans Staal, director, Fuel Supply at Unifeeder.

“We applaud the support and constructive approach seen from the vessel’s owners, Elbdeich Reederei, and look forward to implementing biofuels on many other vessels in our fleet during 2022,” he said.

VARO’s biofuels are produced from certified feedstocks labelled as waste or residue. Biofuel B100 reduces CO2 emissions by up to 90% and eliminates SOx emissions almost entirely.

The trial forms part of a wider Unifeeder strategy to assess a number of alternative fuels. On 29 September 2021, its 1,036 teu feeder, ElbBLUE, bunkered 20 tons of green SNG (Synthetic Natural Gas) at Elbe port in Brunsbüttel, Germany. The bunkering represented the first time that synthetic fuel had been employed in commercial shipping.

This latest Unifeeder announcement follows last year’s launch of its Actual Emission Tracker, a tool that allows users to calculate greenhouse gas emissions at TEU level, providing companies with insight into the carbon impact of their activity.