The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has commissioned a study into how biodiesel blends used in shipping behave if they are accidentally spilled at sea and how well existing clean-up methods work.
The work was ordered to address “critical knowledge gaps” about alternative fuels as potential marine pollutants and the effectiveness of response measures after accidental releases, EMSA announced in a release on Tuesday.
The study focuses on biodiesel blends mixed with conventional marine “bunker fuels” — the fuels ships burn for power — including blends based on Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME), Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and Fischer–Tropsch (FT).
These fuels are being used as near-term “drop-in” options that can be used with existing marine engines and infrastructure, according to EMSA. It said blends such as B20, B30 and B50 are used with Marine Gas Oil (MGO) or Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO).
EMSA said the behaviour of these blends as marine pollutants, and the suitability of current spill response measures, are “not yet comprehensively documented”, and that the assessment would be grounded in experimental recovery tests.
Who is carrying out the research
The work is being conducted jointly by the World Maritime University and Cedre, a marine pollution response organisation, EMSA said.
