Wilson Sons received approval from the Brazilian National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) to conduct the first tests on using hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), also known as renewable diesel, in the Brazilian maritime sector, with Efen and the Port of Açu as partners.

To replace marine diesel oil, Efen will import HVO to be tested on Wilson Sons’ tugs in the Port of Açu, in São João da Barra, Rio de Janeiro.

The liquid-handling operation will be conducted at the Açu Liquid Bulk Terminal (TLA) owned by Vast Infraestrutura.

“After the testing period, we expect to expand the distribution of HVO to platform-supply vessels (PSVs) and other offshore-support vessels in the Port of Açu, encouraging the reduction of greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions in the oil-and-gas supply chain,” said Efen CEO Rafael Pinheiro.

The green diesel study in Açu includes efficiency testing, assessing the effects on maintenance processes, and reducing GHG emissions.

Green diesel can reduce carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions by more than 80 percent considering its complete lifecycle.

“Our decarbonization agenda does not only include building more efficient tugboats but also decreasing the environmental impact of our fleet of more than 80 vessels,” said Marcio Castro, the executive director at Wilson Sons Towage division. “In this context, HVO emerges as a promising solution, as it is a drop-in fuel that does not require any adaptations to our equipment, representing an important choice for the port-support industry.”

Although the maritime sector is already considered the least polluting per ton of cargo per kilometer traveled, accounting for just 3 percent of global GHG emissions, it still plays a significant role.

The International Maritime Organization strategy sets a net-zero target for GHG emissions from international shipping by 2050, which can be accelerated with HVO.

“We want to foster energy transition projects in emission-intensive industries, such as shipping,” said Eugenio Figueiredo, the CEO of Port of Açu. “In the future, we can set up HVO plants and other facilities for low-carbon fuels.”

Vast and Wilson Sons have also recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to test the use of biofuels on Wilson Sons’ tug operating at T-Oil, Vast’s oil terminal in the Port of Açu.

The agreement aims to develop and offer logistics-infrastructure services to help reduce the intensity of carbon emissions in the operations of both companies.

Vast is studying the possibility of using the TLA tank structure, which is yet to be built, to store and add biocomponents to marine fuels and capture liquids not currently planned for the terminal.

“The TLA will provide the necessary infrastructure to support the extensive use of biofuels, such as HVO, and to serve as a hub to store and handle a wide range of liquids, such as clear fuels, lubricants, ethanol and chemicals,” said Eduardo Goulart, the commercial director at Vast Infraestrutura. “The agreements further cement our strategic position in Brazil’s logistics chain and our relevant role in decarbonizing the maritime sector.”