Mitsui OSK Lines conducts sea trials of LNG carrier powered by marine biofuel

Photo: Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. announced Nov. 15 that its group company, Aquarius LNG Shipping Ltd., has conducted sea trials of its LNG carrier Papua using marine biofuel.

Approximately 1,500 tons of fuel consisting of 0.50 percent sulfur residual-based very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) blended with up to 25 percent waste-based fatty acid methyl esters (FAME)—commonly referred to as “biodiesel”—was supplied by ExxonMobil Marine Ltd. on the vessel at the Port of Singapore.

The bio component has been accredited by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification organization.

Papua was built in 2015 by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co. Ltd. to provide LNG transportation for PNG LNG project in Papua New Guinea.

MOL has been operating Papua under a long-term charter contract for the project operated by ExxonMobil.

Biofuel is positioned as an effective alternative to fossil fuels in the MOL Group’s new environmental strategy, MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.1, which was announced in June 2021.

MOL Group said that it continually takes a proactive stance in promoting the adoption of clean alternative fuels with the aim of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions in ocean transport.