Two major players team up to expand marine use of biofuels

Bunker Holding’s physical bunker subsidiary, Bunker One, last year ran a test run on the M/T Amak Swan, operating the tanker on a B30 biofuel blend which consists of a second-generation bio feedstock.

Aiming to further develop the U.S. and EU marine markets for sustainable bio-based diesel, one of the world’s leading suppliers and traders of marine fuels, Bunker Holding Group has entered into a strategic collaboration agreement with Ames, Iowa-based, Nasdaq-listed, Renewable Energy Group Inc. (REG), a leading global producer and supplier of renewable fuels.

The agreement is initially focused on opportunities in North America and Europe, where trials of B20 and B30 biofuels are being run in high-traffic regions of both continents.

For REG, this agreement continues its efforts to expand product offerings with further reach into the approximately 70 billion gallon, or 230 million metric tons, global marine market.

“At Renewable Energy Group we see clearly the opportunity for biodiesel to be a sustainable fuel option of choice for customers in the clean energy transition. Partnering with Bunker Holding will accelerate the marine industry adoption of biodiesel to achieve aggressive carbon reduction goals,” said Bob Kenyon, senior vice president, sales and marketing at REG. “Our renewable fuels and customer service are helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions today and offer a plug-and-play solution for the current shipping infrastructure. We look forward to further developing our relationship with Bunker Holding and supporting the shipping industry’s decarbonization movement.”

REG says it will work closely with Bunker Holding to expand its existing alternative fuel portfolio and offer sustainable fuels on a global scale to create significant value for the industry.

“As conventional fossil fuel continues to power most of the world’s marine fleet, we are thrilled to engage in this collaboration with REG. It not only further strengthens our supply chain of alternative fuel, but also deepens our know-how and insight of biofuels,” said Christoffer Berg Lassen, CCO of Bunker Holding. “Engaging in partnerships with actors from value chains outside our normal boundaries is a cornerstone of our decarbonization strategy. The energy transition in shipping cannot be solved individually, and we acknowledge the importance of working closely together with partners, such as REG, who bring great expertise and complements our core capabilities within bunkering.”