Bunker One, the world's leading supplier of marine fuels and lubricants, sponsors research to enable the safe addition of biodiesel to marine fuels

In line with global and national demands for decarbonization, Bunker One, the world's leading supplier of bunker fuels and lubricants for navigation, is investing in the development of a new category of marine fuel in Brazil. The company entered into a partnership with the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) to study the feasibility of adding 7% biodiesel to marine diesel oil.

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Brazil is the second largest producer of biodiesel in the world

The expectation is that, within eight months, results will be presented that confirm this viability and that can contribute to the creation of a sustainable public policy for the shipping industry. The objective of the project is to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and take advantage of the potential of this renewable energy source in Brazil, which is the second largest producer of biodiesel in the world.

“The shipping market can offer a unique gain in scale to the biodiesel sector, and we believe that making the safe addition of biodiesel to marine fuels feasible is a strategic solution for strengthening Brazil. Bunker One is already successfully developing projects of this type in other countries and Brazil is an important market for our operations. We also want to innovate here, collaborating for the sustainable growth of the navigation sector in the region, in addition to creating an alternative for the biodiesel industry, which was impacted by the reduction in the amount of biodiesel in the mixture with diesel for road use”, says the president of Bunker One, Flavio Ribeiro.

Field research will be carried out on Bunker One tugboats operating in Rio de Janeiro, and the other studies will be carried out at the Laboratory of Environmental Analysis, Primary Processing and Biofuels at UFRN, a national reference in studies related to the biofuel sector. The work will be conducted by seven researchers from UFRN, coordinated by Professor Amanda Duarte Gondim, PhD in Chemistry, Petroleum and Renewable Energy. All tests will be carried out in accordance with the resolutions of the National Petroleum Agency, based on mixtures that will be evaluated during storage and application. 

The use of biodiesel in land transport is already a reality in the country

The application of biodiesel in land transport is already a reality in Brazil, but it still does not happen in water transport. This change has the potential to reduce dependence on fossil fuels for maritime transport, help combat climate change and improve air quality.  

“We believe this project could have a significant macroeconomic impact for Brazil. By enabling the addition of biodiesel to navigation fuels and seeking approval for this product on the world stage, biodiesel producers will be able to increase their scale through the possibility of exporting this input to the international bunker industry. Given Brazil's vocation for the production of renewable raw materials, agribusiness sectors also tend to be positively impacted. An example is soy bran, which is the main ingredient in animal feed and which could see its price reduced due to the increase in soy crushing for biodiesel production”, analyzes Flavio Ribeiro.

By evaluating the physicochemical properties of the mixtures directly on the vessels, the research will be able to bring more assertive analyzes on the technological bottlenecks for adding biodiesel to marine fuels and point out ways to spread the use of biodiesel in the sector. 

About Bunker One 

Bunker One has its origins in Denmark, where its business group emerged more than 140 years ago, from the founding of a shipping company in 1876. Over the years, the company has become a pioneer in the marketing of bunkers, being recognized by the market as one of the most respected suppliers of this product in the world. Currently, Bunker One has operations in more than 20 countries and is the world's leading supplier of fuels and lubricants for navigation.

In Brazil, Bunker One's headquarters are located in Rio de Janeiro, from where its activities are coordinated in several Brazilian ports. The company is in an expansion process, which foresees the opening of branches in other regions of the country with business opportunities that combine local development demands with the group's expertise.

Bunker One aims to make the purchase of marine fuel a simple and transparent process, offering a reliable, fast and efficient service. Focusing on the client, the company adds its international experience and local presence so that all of its partners' projects are successful.