Just like aviation, maritime transportation is considered notoriously hard to decarbonize. It will take a long time to develop, approve, and implement all-new propulsion systems and ship designs, but until then, alternative fuels can save the day.
Similar to how SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) is being gradually introduced in various aviation sectors, different types of alternative fuels are also being tested on various commercial carriers, tankers, andcruise ships.
GoodFuels is one of the names at the forefront of this phenomenon. This summer, it had supplied the German cruise ship AIDAprima with a mix of biofuel and conventional maritime fuel. Recently, it has taken the next step, by refueling the same ship with 100% biofuel, for the first time.
This happened earlier this month in Rotterdam,Offshore Energyɾєρօɾτs, when the Hyperion-classcruise shipgot a taste of unblєɴԀed biofuel for the first time. Described as a “next-generation sustainable fuel” by its producer, this biofuel is said to be made of feedstock that is certified as 100% waste or residue, including used cooking oil.
In addition to cutting CO2 emissions by up to 90% thɾօυɢҺout its life cycle, this biofuel has the major benefit of acting like a “drop-in” fuel, which means that it can go straight into the tank, without having to modify the tank or the engine in any way.
AIDAprima is one of the ships in the fleet of Aida Cruises, a German operator that belongs to the Carnival group.
This isn’t the first єɴԀeavor of its kind for Carnival and Aida Cruises. Back in 2019, another Aida ship, the AIDAnova, was fueled with LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) for the first time, in the Mediterranean. A year later, a different Carnival vessel,the Mardi Gras, became the first LNG-powered cruise ship in North America.
Because they can be used as drop-in fuels, biofuels are seen as the best green solution available right now. “We cannot afford to wait for global legislation to arrive,” said Dirk Kronemeijer, CEO of GoodFuels.
