In what is indeed being hailed as an industry first, UK-based bunker operator John H. Whitaker (Tankers) Limited has achieved a significant milestone by securing chemical certification from Lloyd’s Register (LR) on behalf of the Isle of Man Flag Administration for its tanker, the Whitchampion.
Significant Milestone
The UK-based tanker owner Whitaker has achieved a significant milestone in maritime decarbonization with its vessel, Whitchampion, receiving certification to perform onboard blending of biofuels with petroleum distillates and residual fuel oils. This operation is authorized within UK coastal waters under a Tri-Partite Agreement between the Isle of Man Flag and the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (UKMCA). A second Whitaker tanker, Whitchallenger, is expected to follow suit with similar approval later this year.
This certification addresses a critical hurdle in the wider adoption of biofuels in shipping. Currently, bunker tankers certified under MARPOL Annex I are restricted to carrying blends with no more than 30% FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Esters) under IMO regulations. Higher bio-content oil fuels typically fall under the more stringent International Bulk Chemical Code (IBC Code) and MARPOL Annex II, necessitating full chemical tanker status. This regulatory framework has effectively excluded a significant portion of the conventional bunker tanker fleet from handling mid-to-high-range biofuel blending.
Whitaker’s Whitchampion is the first LR-classed vessel to bridge this gap. Through a comprehensive Gap Analysis and Risk Assessment against the IBC Code and MARPOL Annex II requirements, Lloyd’s Register (LR) developed an innovative approach that involved mitigating the identified risks. This strategy led to obtaining waivers/exemptions from the Flag Administration, allowing this Annex I bunker tanker to gain chemical certification to carry FAME as cargo, crucially without requiring conversion to full chemical tanker status.
Furthermore, the successful delivery of dedicated onboard training on the safe handling of FAME resulted in UKMCA approval and a FAME Restricted endorsement to the crew’s existing Oil Tanker Dangerous Cargo Endorsement (DCE).
Tim Wilson, Principal Specialist Fuels and Emissions at LR, emphasized the significance of this achievement: “This certification demonstrates a credible and commercially viable route for existing bunker tankers to participate in the energy transition. It sets a clear blueprint for others to follow, enabling owners to consider the possibility of adapting existing bunker tankers for sustainable fuel delivery without resorting to prohibitively expensive conversions or replacement with a chemical tanker.”
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Source: Lloyd’s Register
