By
Alice Chambers |
Holland America Line has completed its first biofuel test onboard Volendam at Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, as part of parent company Carnival Corporation’s decarbonisation initiative.
The 20-day test was conducted by test partner GoodFuels, which operates at the port, with the help of Wärtsilä, a marine power and propulsion firm that carries out lifecycle solution programmes for operators.
The ship operated on a combination of 30 per cent biofuel and 70 per cent marine gas oil during the first five days of the test and then switched to using 100 per cent biofuel for the remaining 15 days. The assessment found that Volendam produced 78 per cent less carbon dioxide emissions when using biofuel.
GoodFuels also found that the crew was able to switch to biofuel easily as it is a ‘drop-in’ alternative fuel.
“We were excited to have this opportunity to test a next-generation fuel resource on a Holland America Line ship, and we are very encouraged by the results,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “As part of our commitment to sustainability, we have always looked for cutting-edge solutions to environmental challenges that will help us meet Carnival Corporation’s sustainability goals over the coming decades.”
Carnival’s German brand AIDA has also partnered with GoodFuels to run a blended biofuel test onboard AIDIAprima in Rotterdam.
“Marine biofuel is already the biggest low carbon marine fuel in the world and we expect usage to rise sharply to 10 per cent of total volume by 2030,” said Dirk Kronemeijer, CEO and founder of GoodFuels.
The biofuel tests are part of Carnival’s overall environmental goals to achieve a 40 per cent reduction in carbon by 2030. The cruise company is also exploring the use of other alternative fuels as part of its strategy, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), battery, and fuel-cells.
“Our extensive work in testing alternative marine fuels is a central part of our efforts to shape viable decarbonisation options for our customers,” said Ricardo Opperman, managing director of Wärtsilä North America. “We are continuously developing our engine technology to accept and retain operational and environmental efficiency levels with various future fuels, including biofuels. These sea trials with 100 per cent biofuel will be especially important — for Carnival Corporation, for Goodfuels, for Wärtsilä, and for the industry as a whole.”