Japan's Toyota Tsusho to conduct biofuel trials in Port of Singapore

This comes after global resources company BHP, German shipping company Oldendorff Carriers, and advanced biofuels pioneer GoodFuels, with the support of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore conducted the first marine biofuel trial involving an ocean-going vessel bunkered in Singapore on April 4, a joint statement by them said separately earlier this month.

TTP's trial, which will run from April to September 2021 in collaboration with other partners, is being undertaken with a view to the regular use of biodiesel fuel in international maritime transport, TTC said in a statement.

During this period TTP will verify technical matters, such as the oxidation and storage stability of biofuels, and acquire knowledge by measuring ship emissions, it said.

In addition to this trial, Toyota Tsusho Petroleum is also supplying biofuel produced in Europe and sold by GoodFuels, a biofuel producer in the Netherlands, for foreign ships at the Port of Singapore, it said, adding that this is the first time that biofuel has been bunkered in Singapore. Toyota Tsusho Petroleum's biofuel supply to bunker barges at the Port of Singapore is derived from waste cooking oil and vegetable oil, it said.

These moves are in line with Toyota Tsusho's commitment to curb its carbon footprint.

The International Maritime Organization has adopted targets for international shipping to reduce carbon intensity by at least 40% by 2030, and to at least halve total greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, both in comparison to 2008 levels.