- A blend of bio-oil and heavy fuel oil produces promising results as regulations stiffen
- bio-oil and biocrude do less harm to the environment than HFO being lower in sulfur
Emissions regulations put in place last year by the International Maritime Organization are putting the onus on cargo ship vessels to reduce their carbon footprints says an article in Boss magazine.
Fuel alternatives
Maritime shipping vessels, which transport more than 80% of the world’s shipped goods, must meet set reductions in particulates, sulfur, and carbon dioxide emissions over the next three decades.
In response, a team of scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is studying the feasibility of using biofuels such as bio-oil and biocrude to fuel ships that transport products around the world.
Environment-friendly
“Because of the importance of world trade and the long shipping routes involved, future fuels will most likely be cleaner-burning liquid fuels,” said Tom Thompson, environmental and energy technical adviser with the U.S. Maritime Administration.
Bio-oil and biocrude do less harm to the environment than HFO because they are lower in sulfur, burn cleaner, have fewer particulates, and generate a lower carbon footprint. They also need less processing to produce and are lower in cost than other, more refined fuels.
Fuel Usage
Globally, maritime shipping vessels use about 330 million metric tons of fuel annually, the equivalent of what is used by shipping trucks and U.S. planes.
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Source: Boss Magazine
