PRIO and Norwegian Cruise Line complete first biofuel tests in Portugal
Biofuel producer PRIO and Norwegian Cruise Line have completed their first test with ECO Bunkers B30, an advanced biofuel produced and supplied by PRIO in Portugal.
Produced at PRIO’s biodiesel plant and blended at a tank terminal in Aveiro, Portugal, ECO Bunkers B30 is a 30% blend of advanced biofuel from waste feedstocks. It benefits from a higher percentage of biofuel incorporation, which is estimated to result in a greater reduction of CO2 emissions.
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The flexible blending process enables PRIO to scale production to meet demand, with the option to adjust the percentage of biodiesel mixtures up to a 100% renewable product to enable an estimated greenhouse gas reduction of up to 86%.
Supported by World Fuel Services, two Norwegian Cruise Line vessels were supplied with 400 tons of B30 (blend of 70% ULSD diesel and 30% biofuel) by PRIO on November 27 and December 7, 2022. The first ship, the Norwegian Star, was supplied with 200 tons of ECO Bunkers B30 in Lisbon, followed a week later by Norwegian Epic, which was also supplied with 200 tons.
PRIO estimates that the use of this biofuel resulted in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet reducing CO2 emissions by approximately 30%, equating to 440 tons of CO2 emissions being avoided.
“Advanced biofuels – produced from residual raw materials, that is, the result of the circular economy – are the solution of the present and allow us to immediately face the growing needs of our customers,” commented Luis Nunes, member of the Executive Committee of PRIO.
“They are ‘drop-in’ solutions; they did not require any modifications to the engine or tank of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ cruise ships and thus allowed an immediate impact without any need for additional investment in these ships.”
“We are going through a crucial moment in the world’s response to climate and biodiversity emergencies, so PRIO believes that we can already accelerate the energy transition if we increase the contribution of advanced biofuels in the maritime sector.”
PRIO previously launched ECO Bunkers B15, which was developed using a waste raw material recycling process, enabling an 18% reduction in CO2 emissions and a reduction in consumption (this was shown through projects carried out by the company with port communities in the Aveiro region).
