Japan-based shipping firm Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) has carried out a trial use of marine biofuel with a car carrier named Polaris Highway.

　　K Line received the marine biofuel as part of a deal signed with London-based energy company bp.

　　The marine biofuel was supplied to Polaris Highway at the Dutch port of Flushing.

　　Polaris Highway performed the trial use of the green fuel after leaving the Europe Emission Control Area.

　　As an environmentally friendly alternative fuel， marine biofuel is expected to cut down carbon emissions by 80% to 90%， from the fuel generation to consumption process， without modifying existing engine specifications.

　　In a statement， K Line said: “In K Line Environmental Vision 2050 -Blue Seas for the Future， we have set the 2030 interim target of improving CO₂ emission efficiency by 50% over 2008， surpassing the IMO target of 40% improvement. Furthermore， we set our new target for 2050 as ‘The Challenge of Achieving Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions’.

　　“As an action plan， we will continue to work on the introduction of new fuels， which have a low environmental impact and take on the challenge of achieving the targets set forth.”

　　Marine biofuel utilizes renewable organic resources， including biomass.

　　As a result， despite carbon being discharged after combustion， it is balanced by the carbon absorbed during the growth of the biogenic sources utilized as raw materials.

　　Furthermore， waste and residues generated for its production can be reused.

　　To achieve GHG reduction， the company intends to introduce zero-emission fuels， including ammonia， hydrogen fuels， carbon-neutral fuels and synthetic fuels.