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GS Caltex, HMM begin pilot operation of container ship running on bio marine fuel

September 15, 2023

South Korean oil refiner GS Caltex Corp. said Friday it has begun the pilot operation of a container ship that runs on its bio marine fuel in collaboration with the shipping company HMM Co.

The 6,400 twenty-foot equivalent unit vessel, powered by GS Caltex’s B30 bio marine fuel, will depart from a port in Busan en route to Singapore, India and South America, the refiner said in a release.

Bio marine fuel can reduce carbon emissions by more than 65 percent compared with fossil fuel-based marine fuel as it is manufactured using waste feedstock.

In particular, the biofuel made with biodiesel from waste cooking oil is recognized internationally as being effective in reducing carbon emissions by over 80 percent.

The B30 bio marine fuel was manufactured based on heavy fuel oil and biodiesel made from waste cooking oil, GS Caltex said.

The test operation of the biofuel-powered ship is the latest in the oil refiner’s efforts to bolster the use of green fuels, including biofuels for vessels and airplanes, amid the global decarbonization drive.

The HMM Tacoma vessel is being refueled with bio marine fuel at a port in the southeastern city of Busan on Sept. 15, 2023, in this photo provided by GS Caltex Corp. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The HMM Tacoma vessel is being refueled with bio marine fuel at a port in the southeastern city of Busan on Sept. 15, 2023, in this photo provided by GS Caltex Corp. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)