Danish tanker and bulker owner Norden has entered the battle to produce viable bunkers from lignin, a plant material seen as a waste product.

It has formed a partnership with compatriot Kvasir Technologies, a spin-off from the Technical University of Denmark, which has patented technology to produce fuel from the biomass substance.

Lignin is usually discarded without being used, but is easily accessible and found in large quantities, allowing for a "high degree of scalability" compared to other feedstocks, Norden said.