Japanese shipping giant Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) have started a test navigation using Neste renewable diesel (NesteRD) supplied by Itochu Enex in tugboats operated by subsidiary Shin-Nippon Kaiyosha. This is the first case in Japan of a 100% concentration of biodiesel being used in a ship.
NesteRD is a 100% renewable fuel product that is manufactured from waste cooking oil and animal oil that would not be used by the food industry. NYK claims it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a lifecycle assessment basis by about 90% compared to petroleum-derived diesel fuel and can be used as a so-called drop-in fuel, just like gasoline or diesel oil, without modifying the existing infrastructure.
“As a next-generation renewable fuel, NesteRD can greatly contribute to the reduction of GHG emissions by minimizing the introduction cost related to decarbonization measures, and its use in the shipping industry is expected to further expand in the future,” NYK stated in a release.
