The Tara Ocean Foundation has bunkered about 90,000 litres of Neste renewable diesel marine fuel ahead of an 18-month Arctic research mission.

The bunkering took place in Dordrecht, the Netherlands, before the Tara Polar Station continued its voyage to Norway, Finnish refiner Neste said in an emailed update on Tuesday.

The vessel is due to enter the Central Arctic Ocean in mid-August to begin its 18-month drift expedition.

Most of the renewable diesel will be used to generate electricity and heat for the drifting research station, while the rest will fuel its engines.

The vessel is expected to spend around 90% of the mission trapped in sea ice, making dependable fuel essential because there will be no opportunity to refuel during the voyage.

That operational constraint gives the fuel choice a practical role beyond the headline bunkering: the station will need a supply that can support both propulsion and onboard energy needs in remote conditions where logistics are limited. The expedition is the first voyage of the Tara Polar Station and marks the start of a long-term Arctic research programme involving 30 scientific institutes.

Neste said its renewable diesel can be used in existing diesel engines without modification and is designed to perform in temperatures as low as -32°C.

Ship & Bunker News Team

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