Indonesia has urged that conventional bunker vessels be allowed to carry up to B30 biofuel blends in its proposal to the IMO ahead of the 82nd Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 82) meeting next month.

The country claims that this proposal will help achieve the net-zero target for the shipping sector. “If the discussion [about biofuel carriage requirements] is not continued, it could obstruct the achievement of the net-zero emissions, especially in biofuel/biodiesel producing countries,” the proposal reads.   

Current IMO rules restrict ocean-going vessels to transport biofuel blends of up to B25 (25% biofuel component blended with 75% conventional fuel). Biofuel blends exceeding this limit, i.e., more than B25, will have to be carried on IMO Type 2 chemical tankers instead of conventional bunker vessels (oil tankers). This restriction has proved to be a regulatory hurdle in the uptake of biofuels, Indonesia claims. 

Indonesia’s submission draws on two proposals presented before the IMO’s MEPC 81 meeting held in March this year. One of these proposals was submitted by the London-headquartered International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA), while South Korea and India jointly submitted the other proposal.

South Korea and India in their joint proposal to MEPC 81 requested the committee to issue an interim circular allowing conventional bunkering vessels to transport up to B30 biofuel blends. The proposal highlighted that the revision was needed as biofuels up to B30 are mostly preferred in the bunker market. 

Meanwhile, IBIA noted in its proposal that vessels engaged in bunkering can currently not carry biofuel blends over 25% even within port waters. The association added that the issue presented a “potential impediment to the global adoption of biofuels”. The IBIA argued that this also posed a larger challenge for the decarbonisation of the shipping sector and the implementation of the 2023 IMO GHG strategy.

The IMO’s MEPC will convene in London between 30 September and 4 October to discuss emission reduction measures.

Source: ENGINE by Manjula Nair