The capesize bulker Friendship, owned by Seanergy Maritime and chartered by NYK, has collaborated with global mining company Anglo American to complete a trial using biofuel to transport cargo. This is the fourth successful trial use of biofuel by NYK , the second in cooperation with Anglo American and the first with Seanergy Maritime.

Biofuels are considered to be carbon-neutral because the carbon dioxide that is absorbed by the source of the biomass is equal to the carbon dioxide that is released when the fuel is burned. With increasing demands for reducing greenhouse gases emitted from ships by oceangoing shipping around the world, biofuels are currently attracting attention as an alternative fuel for ships to replace heavy oil.*

In this test voyage, the vessel was fueled with biofuel by TotalEnergies Marine Fuels, dedicated business unit in charge of worldwide bunkering activities at the port of Singapore in January 2022, and a test voyage was completed on two-way voyage between Singapore and Saldanha Bay. As a result, this trial shows that the Biofuel can result in up to 10% CO2 emissions reduction, when compared with conventional marine fuel.

The NYK Group has set a long-term target of net-zero emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) by 2050 for the NYK Group’s oceangoing businesses and has positioned biofuels as an effective alternative to heavy oil for vessels. And the Group is actively conducting test runs.

On February 3, 2021, NYK released the NYK Group ESG Story, which aims to further integrate ESG into the company’s management strategy and promotes activities that contribute to the achievement of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) through business activities.

To strongly promote ESG management, the NYK Group will encourage new value creation as a sustainable solution provider through a business strategy that includes the introduction of next-generation fuels, such as biofuel, which has a low environmental impact.

* Although biofuels emit carbon dioxide during combustion, the plants used as raw materials absorb carbon dioxide and reproduce biomass, so carbon dioxide emissions during direct combustion are considered to be practically zero.