Yang Ming container ship bunkers B30 marine biofuel in South Korea

YM Together bunkered the B30 HSFO biofuel at Pusan Port in South Korea June 26. (Photo: Yang Ming)

Starting this year, Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. is beginning to fuel its fleet with sustainable marine biofuel.

This initiative aims to implement the company’s sustainable-development strategy, achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and provide low-carbon transportation services to customers.

YM Together became the first foreign-flagged vessel in South Korea to bunker biofuel. (Photo: Yang Ming)

YM Together, the 11,000 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) container ship, recently became the first foreign-flagged vessel in South Korea to bunker biofuel, marking what Yang Ming said is the company’s steady progress in sustainable development and energy transition.

In collaboration with KPI OceanConnect, a marine energy supplier, YM Together, currently serving the Trans-Pacific route PN3, bunkered the B30 high-sulfur fuel oil (HSFO) biofuel at Pusan Port in South Korea June 26.

Yang Ming said the 30 percent biofuel portion of the fuel blend was made from used cooking oil (UCO) and complies with ISO 8217 and meets International Sustainability and Carbon Certification standards.

This biofuel also meets the green fuel standards of the FuelEU maritime initiative, reducing up to 25 percent of greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions compared to conventional marine fuels.

Apart from the biofuel, onboard facilities such as scrubbers and shore power systems (AMP) enable YM Together to effectively cut GHG emissions and offer customers transport services that are sustainable and environmentally friendly.

The addition of Pusan port as a biofuel bunkering port in Asia increases flexibility in bunkering options for different routes, which in turn helps Yang Ming to expand the use of biofuel.

In the meantime, the company is providing biofuel-usage data requested by a publicly owned local research institute in South Korea, hoping to accelerate the sustainable goal of energy transition in the industry by sharing practical experiences and contributing to academic research. 

In response to the impact of global climate change, Yang Ming said it is carrying out various energy-saving measures in its operations to improve the fleet's energy efficiency.

These measures include retrofitting existing ships for energy efficiency, adopting smart technology to enhance onboard energy monitoring, using a weather-routing system to optimize routes and reduce fuel consumption, and fitting vessels with AMP systems for shore power.

In 2023, Yang Ming's fleet reduced carbon intensity by nearly 62 percent compared to the baseline year of 2008, achieving the International Maritime Organization’s goal of a 40 percent reduction by 2030 ahead of time.

Looking forward, Yang Ming said it will continue using ISCC-certified biofuel to cap its total yearly GHG emissions, reduce the pressure of carbon emissions on customers and the entire supply chains, and sail towards the net-zero goal of maritime transport.