Cattle manure as an alternative ship fuel has been proven to be possible in landmark trials in Japan.
A seven-strong group has delivered Japan’s first successful trial using liquefied bio-methane (LBM), or bio-LNG, derived from cattle manure on Mitsui OSK Lines’ (MOL) 2020-built LNG-fuelled general cargo vessel Ise Mirai.
.Earlier this year, the Japanese shipping giant teamed up with LBM maker Air Water to see if the fuel could be transported, supplied, and used without problems using existing shore and onboard equipment.
In October last year, Air Water started operation of its first plant in Japan to produce LBM, an alternative fuel to LNG that uses unused biogas produced from cattle manure. LBM is made by liquefying bio-methane at about -160°C generated from dairy-owned biogas plants, separating and refining its main component, methane. Methane can be compressed to 1/600th of its volume by liquefying it, so this enables the mass transportation of methane.
The trial confirmed that LBM can be transported through the existing domestic LNG supply chain, supplied via truck-to-ship bunkering using existing LNG tank trucks, and used as a marine fuel. In addition to MOL and Air Water, the project was supported by JERA as the shipper, Techno Chubu, operator Kyoudou Kaiun, bunkering operator Cenergy, and engine maker IHI Power Systems.
The latest move from MOL adds to many alternative fuel projects the company has been pursuing, including ammonia, hydrogen, and methanol, while also developing its own hard sails and going after less conventional forms of energy, such as converting microplastics it picks up from the sea into energy resources similar to wood pellets.
