Rio Tinto and BP are planning a major biofuel trial on a capesize bulker.

The two companies will test the lower-carbon bunkers over a year using Rio Tinto’s 205,000-dwt RTM Tasman (built 2013), which will ply transatlantic and transpacific routes in a test that is one of the longest to date for biofuels.

The results will help the major charterer of dry cargo tonnage study ways to reduce carbon emissions from its fleet and decide its future biofuels strategy.