In Singapore, Swire Shipping launched its first biofuel-powered shipping services to the Pacific Islands, introducing B24 and B30 second-generation biofuel blends on three vessels—Apia Chief, Tonga Chief, and Kokopo Chief—as part of a voluntary program aimed at reducing emissions across key Asia-Pacific routes, in partnership with waste-based biodiesel producer Argent Energy and biofuel supplier BP.
The ships, serving routes to Papua New Guinea, Fiji, New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, and East Timor, will bunker B24 in Singapore in the second quarter before transitioning to B30. The initiative will also underpin Swire’s new carbon abatement platform, Voyage to Zero, offering third-party verified emissions certificates to participating customers.
“At Swire Shipping, we are committed to reducing our environmental footprint and contributing to a more sustainable future,” said Jeremy Sutton, CEO of Swire Shipping. “The island nations of the South Pacific are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.”
Swire projects that in its first year, the program’s effect will be “comparable to removing 2,700 cars from the road,” according to Chief Sustainability Officer Susana Germino. Argent Energy’s Louise Calviou added, “This successful biofuel programme highlights what can be achieved through strong international partnerships.”
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Category: Sustainable Marine Fuels
