Portugal’s largest producer of biofuels, PRIO, has announced the launch of a new ECO Bunkers B30 biofuel following successful trials involving Norwegian Cruise Lines Holdings vessels.
As previously reported, in November 2020, PRIO entered the maritime market with the development of Eco Bunkers B15, which contains 15% biodiesel – and the company subsequently developed a 20% blend, ECO Bunkers B20.
The company has since developed a new biofuel offering which has a blend of 30% of advanced biofuel from waste raw materials. The fuel, which is produced at PRIO’s biodiesel plant and blended at its tank terminal in Aveiro, is available to purchase now and can be supplied in all Portuguese ports, the company confirmed to Bunkerspot.
With the assistance of World Fuel Services (WFS), on 27 November and 7 December, two Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings ships were fuelled by truck with a total of 400 tonnes of ECO Bunkers B30, comprising 70% ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD) and 30% biofuel.
The first ship, Norwegian Star, took advantage of a stopover in Lisbon to receive 200 tonnes of the fuel. The following week, a second ship, Norwegian Epic, received 200 tonnes. In total, PRIO says the use of its ECO Bunkers B30 fuel during the successful trials enabled the cruise operator to avoid approximately 440 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
‘We are noticing an increasing demand and interest in our more sustainable products for the maritime sector,’ a spokesperson for PRIO told Bunkerspot. ‘Hence, we are certainly expecting more B30 and other percentages of BIO Blends Trials, up to 100% renewable.’
Asked about the possibility of supplying outside of Portugal, the spokesperson said: ‘We are almost ready to supply it in several Spanish Ports and depending on the volumes, we must start to think in ARA zone.’
