Danish marine fuel supplier Bunker One has completed what it says is Latin America’s first bioethanol bunkering operation for an ocean-going vessel. The company delivered 500,000 litres of anhydrous ethanol to the CMA CGM Iron at the Port of Santos, Brazil.
The fuel was supplied by Copersucar, a major sugar and bioethanol producer. The CMA CGM Iron is CMA CGM’s first 13,000 TEU container vessel equipped with a certified tri-fuel engine capable of operating on bioethanol. Bunker One carried out the bunkering operation using its barge Dona Isa.
“The question is no longer whether bioethanol can be used as a marine fuel. It is whether it can be supplied safely and reliably at the point of demand. This operation demonstrates Bunker One’s ability to bring together the expertise, infrastructure and execution required to make that happen,” said Peter Zachariassen, CEO of Bunker One.
Opportunity for Brazil
The operation also highlights the potential role of Brazil’s established bioethanol industry in supplying the global shipping sector. “Brazil already possesses one of the world’s most mature and scalable bioethanol supply chains. This operation demonstrates how that capability can be connected to international shipping through safe and reliable bunkering infrastructure,” said Flavio Ribeiro, Managing Director of Bunker One LatAm.
A low-flashpoint fuel
Commercial bioethanol bunkering operations remain limited worldwide because handling low-flashpoint fuels requires different procedures from those used for conventional marine fuels.
Before the operation, Bunker One’s barge Dona Isa underwent technical preparations, including cargo tank conditioning, development of transfer procedures, emergency response planning, crew training and the implementation of specialised safety measures for handling bioethanol. The company also incorporated the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) checklist for low-flashpoint fuel operations and established a dedicated Emergency Response Plan for the delivery.
Headquartered in Middelfart, Denmark, Bunker One provides bunkering services at more than 20 locations worldwide, supplying vessels with conventional and alternative fuels, including LNG and biofuels.
