Hurtigruten successfully tests biodiesel

Potential 95% CO2 reduction

‘Biodiesel can in the long run potentially give a CO2-reduction of as much as 95% compared to traditional marine fuels,’ Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam said. ‘Hurtigruten is testing certified biodiesel that is free of palm oil. The industry needs to start making more sustainable choices and Hurtigruten wants to lead the way.’

Polarlys has been successfully testing biodiesel the last few weeks and the trials will continue.

Biodiesel can be made from different sources, for example, used cooking oil, corn, soya, wheat, tallow or palm oil.

At the starting line

‘We  are just at the beginning when it comes to using biodiesel in the shipping industry. We want to move the boundaries and learn more about how this can be used in a bigger scale. This can potentially transform the industry,’ Skjeldam said.

‘At the same time as shipping increases in the Arctic areas, the emissions do, too. But polluting fuels like heavy fuel oil are still not banned in these vulnerable areas. Hurtigruten banned heavy fuel oil a decade ago and is working for a global ban,’ he continued.

Hurtigruten seeks a ban of HFO in the entire Arctic and along the Norwegian coast. ‘It makes no sense,' Skjeldam said, 'to create more pollution and increase the risk of spills and destruction in areas that need to be protected.'