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

Toyota Tsusho Petroleum Private Limited, a physical bunker supplier operating barges in the Port of Singapore and part of Japan's Toyota Tsusho Corporation, has become among the latest players to announce that it will conduct biofuel trials in the city-port.

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.

The Japanese government has also established the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050 and is promoting a shift of fuels for ships from heavy oil and light oil, which are petroleum-derived, to alternative fuels under its Green Growth Strategy.

In March 2021, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced a roadmap aimed at achieving commercial operation by 2028 of zero emission ships that do not emit GHGs.

Singapore to play its part

"In Singapore, with the launch of the Singapore Green Plan 2030, sustainable development and decarbonization is now a national imperative," Minister for Transport, Ong Ye Kung, said separately in a speech at the International Maritime Organization-Singapore Future of Shipping Conference on April 23.

Singapore is supporting the industry to research, test, and adopt green fuels and technologies, through the enhanced Maritime GreenFuture Fund, and the new maritime decarbonization center, he said.

To support longer term developments, the MPA, the Singapore Shipping Association, and the Global Compact Network Singapore will also sign a Memorandum of Understanding to train the industry in carbon accounting, support companies in managing and lowering emissions, and recognize and proliferate best practices, he added.

Singapore is the world's largest bunkering port. Singapore's 2020 bunker fuel sales grew 5% year on year to 49.83 million mt at a time when many other bunker hubs saw their marine fuel sales volumes drop due to tough market conditions reflecting the impact of COVID-19.