Astomos, Inpex agree to supply Middle East’s 1st-ever marine biofuel for VLGC vessel
Astomos Energy Corp. and Inpex Corp. announced May 11 that they have reached an agreement to supply B24 marine biofuel to a Very Large Gas Carrier chartered by Astomos in the United Arab Emirates.
Over the next several months, Inpex will supply B24 biofuel to the VLGC through a bunker vessel operated by Monjasa at Khor Fakkan port in the UAE emirate of Sharjah.
This will be the first instance in which biofuel is supplied to a VLGC in the Middle East.
B24 marine biofuel consists of 24 percent fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) and 76 percent very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO), a conventional bunker fuel.
Dubai-based Neutral Fuels will produce the FAME from waste cooking oil collected from restaurants and hotels in the UAE.
Neutral Fuels was founded in 2011 and aims to expand biodiesel production in the Middle East and other regions.
Monjasa, a global partner in the oil and shipping industries and among the world’s 10 largest marine-fuel suppliers with a fleet of 30 vessels and total volume of around 6 million tons yearly, will supply the VLSFO and blend it with the FAME.
The use of B24 biofuel is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by between 15 percent and 20 percent compared to conventional bunker fuel.
The FAME is certified by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification system, which guarantees the sustainability of its sources.
Marine biofuel can be utilized to power vessels without modifications and is gaining attention as a viable option towards the decarbonization of bunker fuel.
The agreement announced May 11 is intended to help achieve energy-supply diversification and make energy cleaner.
Inpex, in collaboration with partners around the world, plans to expand its biofuel business, develop a liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering business in the UAE and Indonesia and develop alternative fuels including ammonia and methanol.
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