In Japan, Kuribayashi Shipping has signed a basic agreement with Japan Biofuels to jointly study the commercial viability of a biofuel supply chain based on jatropha, a drought-tolerant, non-edible crop cultivated in Mozambique. The study supports Japan’s response to new EU maritime fuel regulations and the global shift toward cleaner fuels.
The proposed chain would cover cultivation through to refining, storage, and export of jatropha-derived biofuel. Under the plan, trees would be planted as fencing or on unused land, with pruning waste and oilcake used to produce biochar for soil restoration. Local processing would allow for fuel exports to Japan and regional markets, reducing dependence on fossil imports while supporting reforestation and soil improvement in semi-arid zones.
The project aligns with Mozambique’s Nacala Green Industrial Corridor initiative, which aims to create logistics and energy hubs along key inland transport routes to Malawi and Zambia. Jatropha would be cultivated along this corridor, forming a regional fuel value chain.
NBF has already partnered with a major trading house and shipping line on the study. With public backing from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the group hopes to demonstrate how non-food crops can build new energy systems without competing with food production.
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Category: Sustainable Marine Fuels
