Australian mining company BHP and the Global Center for Marine Decarbonization (GCMD) have announced the launch of a pilot project aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport through the use of blended biofuels derived from waste-based feedstocks.
The initiative aims to test blends of marine fuels produced from used cooking oil (UCO) and waste animal fat, commonly known as fat The test is designed to evaluate the performance of these fuels in commercial shipping conditions using existing bunkering infrastructure.
Iron ore cargo carrier selected for real-life testing
The pilot project is being conducted on board the bulk carrier Berge Lyngor, owned and operated by Berge Bulk and chartered BHP. The vessel uses a blended biofuel when transporting iron ore from Western Australia to China, allowing project partners to evaluate fuel handling, blending processes, operational reliability and tracking systems under real-world conditions.
Using a waste-based biofuel blend can reduce well-to-trail greenhouse gas emissions by about 79 percent per voyage compared with conventional very low sulfur fuel oil, according to BHP and GCMD (VLSFO).
Animal fat waste could expand future biofuel supplies
One of the key goals of the project is to evaluate alternative feedstocks that can complement the growing use of waste cooking oil in biofuel production.
The maritime industry is now heavily dependent on UCO-based biofuels, but future supply growth may be limited by limited feedstock availability. Animal fat waste is increasingly seen as a viable complementary feedstock that can help expand production capacity for low carbon marine fuels. By testing a mixture of different waste-derived feedstocks, the project aims to demonstrate how more diversified biofuel supply chains can support the shipping industry's decarbonization efforts.
Pilot project to study operational and technical challenges
In addition to reducing emissions, the trial will evaluate several operational aspects associated with mixed
