CPC to Offer Marine Biofuel in Taiwan
Key Takeaways
- •CPC Corporation plans to supply B24-VLSFO marine biofuel at Kaohsiung starting in October.
- •B24 fuel contains 24% biofuel, typically fatty acid methyl esters from used cooking oil or other waste feedstocks, blended with conventional very low sulfur fuel oil.
- •The biofuel can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions without requiring ship engine modifications.
- •The initiative responds to tightening regulations, including the IMO's 2023 strategy targeting net-zero shipping emissions by around 2050 and the EU's FuelEU Maritime regulation taking effect in 2025.
- •Kaohsiung is Taiwan's largest port, allowing container ships and other vessels to refuel with the lower-carbon blend without deviating from their routes.
CPC Corporation, Taiwan's state-owned energy company, has announced plans to offer marine biofuel bunkering at Kaohsiung, with supplies of B24-VLSFO expected to begin reaching ships from October.
In an announcement made today, the company said it expects to provide B24-VLSFO to ships calling at the port starting next month.
"CPC Corporation, Taiwan, is pleased to announce that we will supply marine biofuel at Kaohsiung ports to align with global maritime net-zero greenhouse gas emissions targets and Taiwan's Net-Zoe Transition policy," the company said.
"We expect to provide B24 LSMF-180 (0.5%) bunkering services starting in October 2026."
B24 is a blend in which biofuel, typically fatty acid methyl esters derived from used cooking oil or other waste feedstocks, makes up 24% of the fuel, with the remainder being conventional very low sulfur fuel oil. Biofuel blends of this kind are already offered at other major Asian bunkering hubs, including Singapore, which has developed a significant marine biofuel market in recent years as shipowners seek fuels that can cut lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions without requiring engine modifications.
The move comes as the shipping industry faces tightening international requirements, with the International Maritime Organization having adopted a revised greenhouse gas strategy in 2023 that includes goals of reaching net-zero emissions for international shipping by or around 2050, and the European Union's FuelEU Maritime regulation taking effect in 2025 to lower the greenhouse gas intensity of energy used by ships calling at EU ports.
According to CPC, the new service will give ships calling at Kaohsiung access to a lower-carbon marine fuel option as the shipping industry works to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
Beyond its planned biofuel offering, CPC Corporation supplies bunker fuels at several Taiwanese ports, including Kaohsiung, Taichung, Keelung, and Suao/Hualien. Kaohsiung is Taiwan's largest port and one of the major container gateways in the region, giving passing boxships and other vessels the option to refuel with the lower-carbon blend without deviating from their routes.
