Mitsui OSK Lines says it has successfully completed Japan’s first trial of marine fuel made from cow dung on an LNG-fuelled ship.
A coalition of seven companies said the liquefied biomethane (LBM), also known as bio-LNG, was used on the 6,455-gt Ise Mirai (built 2020), the first LNG-fuelled ocean cargo vessel in Japan.
“This marks Japan’s first use of carbon-neutral LBM derived from biomass,” said the coalition.
Osaka company Air Water produced the LBM from cattle manure, in a project backed by the Japanese government.
The LBM was then trucked to Ise Bay, where it was transferred to the moored vessel. The trial also confirmed that truck-to-ship bunkering of LBM can be completed using existing LNG supply vehicles.
LNG fuel is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by about 25%, compared with conventional fuel oils, but further reductions are likely with the partial use of LBM, a carbon-neutral energy source, the companies said.
“In addition, because the main component of both LBM and LNG is methane, the existing LNG supply chains can be used, so LBM can be an effective solution to achieve low-carbon and decarbonised ship operations.”
