- Odfjell has launched the first operational green shipping corridor linking Brazil and Europe using sustainable biofuel.
- Chemical tankers will operate 12–15 voyages annually on the 5,000-nautical-mile route with significantly lower emissions.
- The corridor is supported by certified B24 biofuel supply and coordinated port collaboration in Brazil and Europe.
- The initiative is fully industry-led, self-funded, and aligned with IMO and EU decarbonization targets.
Odfjell has launched the first operational green corridor between Brazil and Europe, enabling its chemical tankers to sail the 5,000-nautical-mile route with substantially lower emissions, according to the company. The corridor will operate 12–15 voyages per year, with each voyage lasting approximately 40 days.
Operational Green Corridor and Fuel Supply
To secure long-term fuel availability, Odfjell has established an offtake agreement for a B24 sustainable biofuel blend in Rio Grande. The Ports of Antwerp-Bruges, Rotterdam, and Rio Grande are collaborating with Odfjell to advance the corridor through increased efficiency and optimized port-stay processes.
A Practical Path Toward Zero-Emission Shipping
“We do this to demonstrate that certified fuel, technology, and infrastructure are already available,” said CEO Harald Fotland.
“Through this, we show that sustainable biofuel is a viable option for deep-sea shipping today.”
Fotland emphasized that the initiative represents a long-term commitment rather than a one-off demonstration.
“With this corridor, we integrate greener fuel as a new pillar in our decarbonization strategy. We activate the entire value chain to find ways to decarbonize our operations, and we are encouraged that key stakeholders are joining us in this groundbreaking initiative.”
Industry-Led Action and Collaboration
Odfjell has moved forward independently by self-funding the project without subsidies.
“By covering the additional cost ourselves, we eliminate the financial element and move directly into operational implementation. It may not be a perfect corridor yet, but a solid start. Its success depends on collaboration across the value chain, and we are committed to developing it further together with relevant stakeholders,” Fotland said.
Collaboration includes working with ports to improve efficiency, with customers to maximize capacity utilization, and with fuel providers to increase the availability of green fuels.
In Brazil, the currently available sustainable biofuel is certified B24, consisting of 24% renewable biodiesel derived from waste and 76% VLSFO. The use of biofuel builds on Odfjell’s decade-long emissions-reduction efforts, during which the company has improved its carbon intensity by more than 54% compared with the 2008 benchmark through technical and operational measures.
Alignment With Global and Regional Climate Goals
The green corridor aligns with the International Maritime Organization’s 2030 targets and the EU’s Fit for 55 ambitions. It also builds on the 2024 Norway–Brazil memorandum of understanding to establish a green transatlantic shipping corridor.
“We hope to inspire broader industry action and welcome continued collaboration with regulators, ports, producers, other ship operators, and customers to accelerate the transition to low-emission maritime transport,” Fotland said.
Government and Industry Support
Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment Anders Bjelland Eriksen welcomed the initiative, stating:
“We congratulate Odfjell on taking the lead and demonstrating what is possible when business and public authorities cooperate across national borders to reduce emissions. Green shipping corridors over long distances are still in their early stages, and this therefore represents an important first step on the path toward zero emissions. The ocean is the link in trade between Brazil and Norway. This new green shipping corridor is the result of Norway’s cooperation with Brazil on more climate-friendly shipping. We will continue this work with the aim that more vessels can gradually adopt a wider range of low- and zero-emission fuels.”
Knut Arild Hareide, CEO of the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association, said:
“That a deep-sea shipping company like Odfjell has succeeded in establishing a regular corridor between Brazil and Europe powered by certified biofuel is both highly encouraging and an important step toward our shared goal of decarbonizing global shipping by 2050. Shipping accounts for roughly three percent of global, human-made greenhouse gas emissions, and meeting the ambitious climate targets the industry has set for itself will require close collaboration across the entire maritime value chain. This initiative is an excellent example of how collaboration between ports, fuel producers, and shipping companies can deliver tangible results that move us forward in the green transition.”
DNV’s CEO Maritime, Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, added:
“Congratulations to Odfjell and partners on launching the first Brazil–Europe green corridor. This is exactly the kind of practical decarbonization initiative needed to accelerate learning, send strong demand signals, and enable scalable supply of lower-emission fuels. As highlighted in DNV’s Maritime Forecast to 2050, biofuels are a pragmatic deep-sea option, especially when backed by robust certification and chain-of-custody models. This green corridor will show how this works in action while demonstrating how value-chain collaboration can speed the transition and help meet ambitious goals.“
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Source:Odfjell
