- Euronav has set out some of its views on the future shape of the bunker market.
- Euronav’s VLSFO manager suggests that biofuels may have a big role but expressing scepticism over the potential for carbon capture systems to be used on ships.
According to an article published in Ship&Bunker, Tanker company Euronav has set out some of its views on the future shape of the bunker market, suggesting biofuels may have a big role but expressing scepticism over the potential for carbon capture systems to be used on ships.
Euronav VLSFO Manager’s Comments
Rustin Edwards, VLSFO manager at Euronav, made the comments at price reporting agency S&P Global Platts’s European Bunker Fuel Virtual Conference on Thursday.
“I think that biofuel will make a significant penetration, especially in the early stages of decarbonisation, because it is widely available,” Edwards said at the conference.
“It’s been proven to be operational and reliable as well, so shifting the burden without any real major adaptations, and it’s just becoming now more of a function of price versus a function of operability.”
“I think biofuels will make inroads at some point in the next two to three years.” The trend will be supported by oil refinery owners converting their plants into biorefineries and increasing supply, he said.
Comments on Carbon Capture Systems
Edwards also addressed the possibility of carbon capture systems being used at sea, questioning how viable the technology was in its current iteration.
“Any time we talk about capturing the molecules out of the emission side of the engine, where do you store that stuff when you get it?” he said.
“And how do you dispose of it when you create enough mass?”
“When you think of an internal combustion engine burning normal residual fuel oil, you’re producing three tonnes of carbon for every tonne of fuel you burn — and over a day you’re burning 50 tonnes of fuel, so you’re at 150 tonnes of carbon that you’ve just produced. How do you then deal with that 150 tonnes of carbon — are you just dumping it over the side, which could then cause other issues down the road? Are you keeping it and then disposing of it at a disposal facility, adding more volume and mass to what you’re carrying?”
“I don’t know if onboard carbon capture is a viable solution with the current technology — though if other technology gets developed, I’m sure shippers will look at it.”
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Source : Ship&Bunker
