AGQM releases guide to help inland barges transition to B30 biodiesel

Photo: AGQM

The German biodiesel quality management association AGQM and its partners announced March 20 the release of a guide intended to provide insights into how inland barges can transition to fuels with a higher proportion of renewable energy—in particular, higher blends of biodiesel.

The increased use of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) biodiesel in applications where conventional fossil-based liquid bunker fuel cannot be replaced in the short term can contribute to achieving climate-protection targets, AGQM noted.

“Shipping transport accounts for 90 percent of global trade and is a cornerstone of the global economy, but it’s also increasingly under scrutiny for its environmental impact,” said AGQM Manager Katharina Friedrich. “The 2015 Paris Agreement marked a turning point, putting pressure on the shipping industry to contribute to climate-protection goals.”

The International Maritime Organization has responded with its 2023 strategy on the reduction of GHG emissions from ships, aiming for a 40 percent reduction in carbon intensity by 2030—with sustainable fuels like biodiesel playing a key role.

Similarly, the European Union’s 2023 FuelEU maritime regulation, part of the Fit for 55 package, seeks to decarbonize the sector.

To prepare its guide, AGQM collaborated with the lubricant and bunker-fuel supplier OK Slurink to conduct a real-life operating trial aboard the Pouwel S, a vessel equipped with dual diesel engines.

In this trial, the starboard engine operated on conventional diesel fuel with no biodiesel, while the portside engine ran on 30 percent biodiesel (B30), enabling a direct comparison.

The results demonstrated that transitioning to B30 is a viable and sustainable option for decarbonizing inland shipping.

Key parameters including fuel quality, viscosity and sulfur content remained stable throughout with no adverse effects on performance or service life.

Additionally, the reduction in total base number (TBN) and increase in iron content typically observed in engine oil during operation with B0 were absent in the B30-powered engine, suggesting a potential advantage of B30.

This trial underscored the feasibility of B30 as a practical solution for the industry, AGQM said.

“The successful project shows that a switch from B0 to B30 is already possible today in the existing shipping fleet without major adjustments and that, in this way, a significant reduction of greenhouse gases in inland shipping is possible,” Friedrich said. “Our guideline also provides a good basis for dialogue with ship operators and manufacturers in order to convince them to use a higher proportion of biodiesel in shipping.”

Currently, various ship engines are already approved for use with B20, B30 or B100 and are listed in a corresponding approval list published by AGQM, MVaK, UFOP and VDB, which is constantly being expanded in consultation with the manufacturers.

The guide and approval list can both be found on the AGQM homepage under the R&D section. 

AGQM is an organization founded by leading companies of the German biodiesel industry.

As a technical association, AGQM predominantly deals with issues concerning the quality management of biodiesel and its byproducts.