Connect with us

Alternative Fuels

Petrobras conducts Brazil’s first biofuel blend bunkering on “Darcy Ribeiro”

Transpetro’s “Darcy Ribeiro” was refuelled with a new, lower carbon footprint fuel which is a mixture of 90% bunker volume of mineral origin and 10% of biodiesel.
Admin

Published

4 years ago

on

darcy ribeiro

Brazilian state-controlled oil and gas producer Petrobras on Saturday (31 December) carried out the first bunker delivery with renewable content in the country at the Rio Grande Terminal (Terig), in Rio Grande do Sul.

Transpetro’s Darcy Ribeiro vessel was refuelled with the new, lower carbon footprint fuel, a mixture of 90% bunker volume of mineral origin and 10% of biodiesel. 

The purpose of the test is to evaluate the use of the bunker with renewable content for two months and the logistical challenges associated with the use of the product.

The renewable fraction of the new fuel has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in relation to the bunker when considered over the full life cycle. The estimated percentage reduction of CO2 equivalent emissions from this mixture is around 7%.

In the first stage of the project, during the tests carried out in the laboratory of the Petrobras Research and Development Center (Cenpes), no impacts were found in meeting the main properties of the bunker specification.  

The assessment of the burning quality and the stability of the mixture indicated the approval for the field test in a sea vessel. It is expected that the operation of the ship will confirm the laboratory results and will be uneventful in the performance of the engines, filters, and fuel purification systems.

As of January, the IMO 2023 initiative will come into force, aiming at fostering the improvement of ship efficiency and the adoption of fuels with low carbon emissions.

“With the IMO 2023 seal, vessels will be certified and ranked according to the level of energy efficiency and Transpetro has been investing in several solutions in recent years, with a focus on taking our fleet to the best levels of efficiency”, said Sea and Land Engineering and Technology Director at Transpetro, Jair Toledo. 

“In order to achieve that, we invested in several improvements. We have installed propeller and hull appendages on our fleet vessels, as well as conducted operational optimisation actions, among others, which allowed for a 7% reduction in emissions in 2022 when compared to 2021, which is an important proof of the advances made in our journey towards the evolution of energy efficiency”, he said.  

In the maritime sector, depending on the percentage of biodiesel mixed with the fuel, little or no adaptation is required on the vessels, which makes adopting this new product easier. With the field test, Petrobras will take another step towards contributing to selling fuels with less impact on the environment.

Petrobras is set to invest USD 4.4 billion in projects focused on energy transition, aimed at low carbon initiatives, under the new Strategic Plan from 2023 to 2027. 

“We are working on a new generation of more efficient products and fuels, with lower greenhouse gas emissions, in line with the demands of our society.  The development of the bunker with renewable content is an example of our commitment to the transition to a low-carbon future,” said Commercialisation in the Internal Market Executive Manager Sandro Barreto.

 

Photo credit: Petrobras
Published: 10 January, 2023

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

LNG Bunkering

PIL’s LNG dual-fuel boxship “Kota Elok” arrives in Singapore on maiden call

As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on LNG and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

Admin

Published

15 hours ago

on

July 21, 2026

By

PIL's LNG dual-fuel boxship “Kota Elok” arrives in Singapore on maiden call

Singapore-based Pacific International Lines Pte Ltd on Monday (20 July) said its first 13,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel container vessel, Kota Elok, recently made her maiden call to Singapore on 15 July.

As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. 

The vessel also incorporated energy-saving features and digital technologies to reduce fuel consumption and enhance operational performance, as well as a bow windshield to improve aerodynamics, contributing to improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions over the course of long-haul voyages.

“Following Singapore, Kota Elok will continue her voyage on our East Coast Service 1 (ES1) route to South America, calling at ports in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina before returning to Asia,” the company said in a social media post. 

Kota Elok also became PIL’s first vessel to receive Lloyd’s Register certification for compliance with the IACS UR E26 and UR E27 cyber security requirements.

Developed by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), UR E26 and UR E27 are mandatory cyber resilience requirements for newbuild vessels contracted from 1 July 2024. 

 

Photo credit: Pacific International Lines
Published: 21 July, 2026

Continue Reading

LNG Bunkering

CIMC SOE secures order for 12,000-cbm LNG bunkering vessel from Sinopec Clean Energy

Once operational, the vessel is expected to strengthen Sinopec’s domestic coastal LNG bunkering network and help address gaps in China’s alternative fuel bunkering infrastructure.
Admin

Published

15 hours ago

on

July 21, 2026

By

CIMC SOE secures order for 12,000-cbm LNG bunkering vessel from Sinopec Clean Energy

China’s Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co., Ltd. (CIMC SOE) recently signed a contract with Sinopec (Beijing) Clean Energy Co., Ltd. to build a 12,000-cubic metre (m3) LNG bunkering vessel, according to Chinese maritime media.

The vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2028 and will support Sinopec’s efforts to expand its presence in the marine clean energy sector.

Once operational, the vessel is expected to strengthen Sinopec’s domestic coastal LNG bunkering network and help address gaps in China’s LNG bunkering infrastructure.

With this signing , CIMC Pacific Offshore Engineering’s LNG bunkering vessel orderbook is further strengthened, maintaining its leading position in the global market for small and medium-sized LNG bunkering vessels.

The contract also marked another milestone for CIMC SOE, which has seen a sharp increase in orders and business performance this year amid a surge in domestic LNG vessel demand.

 

Photo credit: Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering
Published: 21 July, 2026

Continue Reading

Nuclear

ABS awards AiP to Korean institute for SMR-powered container ship concept design

KRISO says AiP recognises the technical feasibility and safety of its concept design, marking an important milestone toward the development of next-generation nuclear-powered commercial ships.
Admin

Published

15 hours ago

on

July 21, 2026

By

ABS awards AiP to Korean institute for SMR-powered container ship concept design

Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (KRISO) on Thursday (16 July) received Approval in Principle (AiP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for its concept design of a 15,000 TEU Small Modular Reactor (SMR)-powered container ship utilising Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) technology.

KRISO said the AiP recognises the technical feasibility and safety of its concept design, marking an important milestone toward the development of next-generation nuclear-powered commercial ships.

“This achievement demonstrates international recognition of KRISO’s technological capabilities in the rapidly evolving field of nuclear-powered shipping, supporting the transition toward low-carbon maritime transport,” it said. 

Building on this milestone, KRISO will continue advancing basic and detailed ship design, paving the way for future demonstration and commercialisation of SMR-powered vessels. 

Through continued R&D and international collaboration, KRISO remains committed to strengthening next-generation maritime technologies and contributing to the safe deployment of nuclear propulsion in the maritime industry.

 

Photo credit: Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering
Published: 21 July, 2026

Continue Reading

Trending