Furetank announced it will operate its EU-based fleet on renewable biogas after signing a large-scale agreement for mass-balanced biomethane.
The deal secures all the biogas needed for wholly and partly owned gas-propelled vessels trading in the EU during 2025.
Most vessels have already been bunkered, marking the completion of a transition the company initiated a decade ago.
Access to biogas in large volumes has long been a bottleneck for gas-propelled shipping.
According to Furetank, the FuelEU Maritime regulation, which came into force this year, makes it possible to account for certified biomethane injected into the European gas grid, enabling withdrawals at the other end in the same way as green electricity.
The company said the purchased biomethane provides a 150–200 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on a well-to-wake basis. This effect comes from both replacing fossil fuels in vessel operations and preventing methane from being released into the atmosphere during natural decomposition of waste. Residues from the biogas process return carbon to the soil as organic fertiliser.
The biogas is produced by Cargill from waste and then liquefied and delivered as mass-balanced liquefied biomethane (LBM) by Titan Clean Fuels.
About ten per cent of Furetank’s total fuel consumption cannot be covered by biomethane. The company is testing HVO100 renewable diesel, supplied by ScanOcean, to replace pilot fuel used to initiate combustion in gas engines. As a result, the vessel Fure Valö will arrive at the Donsö Shipping Meet on September 1 in a fully fossil-free manner. Cargo pumps, another remaining fossil fuel consumer, can now be powered via shore connections when available at ports.
Furetank Rederi AB is a Swedish, family-owned shipping company based on Donsö in the Gothenburg archipelago. Established in the early 1950s, it operates in tanker shipping and is a founding member of the Gothia Tanker Alliance, which coordinates a fleet of small and intermediate product tankers in European waters.
Cargill, Incorporated is a privately held American multinational corporation headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota. It is one of the largest agribusiness companies in the world, engaged in agriculture, food production, commodities trading, and industrial products.
Titan Clean Fuels is a Dutch supplier and distributor of alternative marine fuels, focusing on liquefied biomethane (LBM) and liquefied natural gas (LNG). The company provides bunkering, logistics, and supply chain solutions for maritime clients in Europe.
ScanOcean AB is a Swedish marine fuel supplier headquartered in Stockholm. The company provides marine fuels, lubricants, and related logistics services to shipping clients across Northern Europe.