Earlier this year, Finnish company Langh Ship and long-term charter company Samskip started operating their container ship Edith on biofuel with positive results.
Following talks between Langh Ship and Dutch charter company Samskip on how to further reduce the environmental impact of their ships, they agreed to switch to biofuel operations for Langh Ship’s 750 TEU container ship Edith in January 2023. Biofuels are a key component in Samskip’s strategy to decarbonise its shipping activities. Edith currently works on a short line service between the Netherlands and the UK.
The transition to biofuels brings many benefits. Last autumn the IMO introduced new carbon intensity measures to improve the short-term energy efficiency of ships and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. A Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) must be calculated and reported which determines the annual reduction factor required to ensure continuous improvement of a ship’s operational carbon intensity. Laura Langh-Lagerlöf, CEO of Langh Ship, explains that the transition to biofuel will have a decisive impact on complying with the new IMO regulations.
”We usually operate the ship with low sulfur intermediate diesel, IFO 80. One of the main advantages of switching to biofuel is that it does not generate fossil carbon emissions. Therefore, we are able to comply with the new CII regulations”, he explains.
Samskip – Vessel Head of Fleet Management, Erik Hofmeester, says: “Samskip is committed to achieving its sustainability goals as outlined in our latest sustainability report. We have always practiced what we preached because sustainability is at the our DNA, and we are invested in the future – the future of green logistics, our planet, our economy and the next generation of seafarers. The use of biofuels today is critical to achieving these goals and Samskip will continue to the vanguard of these initiatives”.
Another benefit of clean, completely sulfur-free biofuel is the reduced need for fuel system maintenance and the lube oil stays cleaner.
“Feedback from the boat has been nothing but positive. Overall, we think main engine maintenance costs will decrease due to cleaner fuel. We expect less wear on the cylinder barrels and piston ring area, but this can only be verified later with experience,” says Laura Langh-Lagerlöf.
Last but not least, Laura Langh-Lagerlöf stresses the importance of improving the environmental performance of ships in many ways.
“We believe it is essential to have many alternative ways to tackle CO2 emissions. Biofuel allows shipowners to reduce environmental impact by not having to invest in modifications to the ship’s engine room and funnel area. But since biofuel is a limited resource, it is also good to look for parallel solutions, such as exhaust gas treatment and carbon capture.”
Following trials of biofuels in 2019, Samskip has gradually increased the number of ships in its fleet using the main biofuel engines. Including Edith, there are now five vessels in Samskip’s biofuel fleet operation. Bunkering for all ships takes place in Rotterdam.
The fuel used is called MDF1-100 and is supplied by GoodFuels. It is formulated entirely from sustainable waste streams from the EU Renewable Energy Directive list. It has also obtained international sustainability and carbon certification.
“Reducing the environmental impact is important to us, and we are happy to cooperate with Langh Ship in these matters. With Edith’s transition to biofuels, we can further reduce the global carbon footprint of our transports,” says Rene van Wijngaarden, Vessel Chartering and Bunkering Manager at Samskip.
Source: Langh Ship
