Yang Ming Starts Using Biofuel
Yang Ming Marine Transport is adopting sustainable biofuel for its fleet, starting at Hong Kong and Singapore, and will now incorporate biofuel into its annual fuel consumption on an on-going basis.
The adoption of biofuel began with Yang Ming’s 1,805 TEU class container ship, YM Inception, and 6,600 TEU class container ship, YM Masculinity. These vessels are currently deployed on the Japan to/from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Thailand service and the Far East to/from Middle East service, respectively.
In collaboration with energy providers Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical, and KPI OceanConnect, both vessels have been bunkered with B24 biofuel, certified by the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC). This sustainable fuel comprises a blend of Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) and Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (VLSFO).
By embracing the biofuel, Yang Ming says it can achieve a substantial reduction of approximately 20% in carbon emissions compared to conventional fuel oil.
Yang Ming Chairman Cheng Cheng-Mount stated: "Confronted with future regulatory requirements and the challenges of decarbonization, the adoption of biofuel signifies a significant milestone for Yang Ming as it transitions towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions. Despite the associated higher costs, Yang Ming plans to gradually expand the use of biofuel in 2024, continuing research and investment in new alternative energy sources to realize a 20% reduction in total carbon emissions by 2030 compared to the levels in 2018."
In addition to the integration of biofuel, Yang Ming has already implemented a range of energy-saving and emission reduction measures on its fleet, including retrofitting existing vessels for enhanced energy efficiency, utilizing big data analysis to optimize vessel performance and implementing route optimization strategies. Furthermore, the company expects the delivery of five newly-built 15,500 TEU LNG dual-fuel container ships starting in 2026.