Yang Ming Adopts Biofuel for Sustainable Future

March 08, 2024

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(Yang Ming Marine Transport) To respond to the 2050 net-zero emissions goal, Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. (Yang Ming) is taking a significant step by adopting sustainable biofuel to its fleet, starting at Hong Kong and Singapore on 7th and 8th March. In addition to enhancing energy saving in fleet management and utilizing green energy at land-based offices, the Company will incorporate biofuel into its annual fuel consumption. Through the adoption of certified biofuel, Yang Ming aims to achieve a year-on-year reduction in emissions and offer customers more eco-friendly transportation services.

The adoption of biofuel begins with Yang Ming’s 1,805 TEU class container ship, YM Inception, and 6,600 TEU class container ship, YM Masculinity. These vessels are currently deployed on the Japan to/from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Thailand service, JTC, and the Far East to/from Middle East service, CGX, respectively. In collaboration with energy providers Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical Co., Ltd., and KPI OceanConnect, both vessels have been bunkered with B24 biofuel, certified by the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC). This sustainable fuel comprises a blend of Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) and Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (VLSFO). By embracing the biofuel, Yang Ming can achieve a substantial reduction of approximately 20% in carbon emissions compared to conventional fuel oil.

Yang Ming Chairman Cheng Cheng-Mount stated, "Confronted with future regulatory requirements and the challenges of decarbonization, the adoption of biofuel signifies a significant milestone for Yang Ming as it transitions towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions. Despite the associated higher costs, Yang Ming plans to gradually expand the use of biofuel in 2024, continuing research and investment in new alternative energy sources to realize a 20% reduction in total carbon emissions by 2030 compared to the levels in 2018."

In addition to the integration of biofuel, Yang Ming has already implemented a range of energy-saving and emission reduction measures on its fleet. These measures include retrofitting existing vessels for enhanced energy efficiency, utilizing big data analysis to optimize vessel performance, and implementing route optimization strategies. Furthermore, the Company expects the delivery of five newly-built 15,500 TEU LNG dual-fuel container ships starting in 2026. This development is anticipated to contribute to reducing the environmental impact of the shipping industry and fostering sustainable development.

Guided by the principle of "advancing competitiveness and environmental sustainability concurrently", Yang Ming assumes responsibility for integrating operations with environmental sustainability. The Company prudently allocates corporate resources for various carbon reduction actions, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements from supervisory authorities and alignment with the latest developments in shipping technology. This approach allows Yang Ming to respond to climate change, contributing to the pursuit of a sustainable future for the Earth. READ MORE

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Yang Ming adopts biofuel for sustainable future (American Journal of Transportation)
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Banle Energy International Limited Supports Yang Ming’s inaugural B24 Biofuel Bunkering Services in Yantian, Shenzhen (Banle Group/EIN News)
Yang Ming launches sustainable biofuel initiative (Port Technology International)
Yang Ming’s boxship receives sustainable biofuel in South Korea (Offshore Energy)
Yang Ming container ship bunkers B30 marine biofuel in South Korea (Yang Ming/Biobased Diesel Daily)
Chimbusco Pan Nation wraps up its first biofuel delivery in Singapore (Offshore Energy)

Excerpt from Port Technology International: Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation (Yang Ming) has announced its intention to fuel its fleet with sustainable biofuel.

This initiative aims to implement the company’s sustainable development strategy, achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and provide low-carbon transportation services to customers.

YM Together, the 11,000-TEU containership, recently became the first foreign-flagged vessel in South Korea to bunker biofuel, marking the company’s steady progress in sustainable development and energy transition.

In collaboration with KPI OceanConnect, a marine energy supplier, YM Together, currently serving the Trans-Pacific route PN3, bunkered the B30 HSFO biofuel at Pusan Port in South Korea on 26 June.

This type of biofuel is a blend comprising used cooking oil (UCO) made of native plants, which complies with ISO 8217 and meets International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) standards.

The addition of Pusan Port as a biofuel bunkering port in Asia increases flexibility in bunkering options for different routes, which in turn helps Yang Ming to expand the use of biofuel, reported Yang Ming.

In the meantime, the company is providing biofuel usage data requested by a publicly owned local research institute in South Korea, hoping to accelerate the sustainable goal of energy transition in the industry by sharing practical experiences and contributing to academic research.

In response to the impact of global climate change, Yang Ming is carrying out various energy-saving measures in its operations to improve the fleet’s energy efficiency. These measures include retrofitting existing ships for energy efficiency, adopting smart technology to enhance onboard energy monitoring, using weather routing systems to optimise routes and reduce fuel consumption, and fitting vessels with AMP systems for shore power.

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Looking forward, Yang Ming will continue using ISCC-certified biofuel to cap its total yearly GHG emissions, reduce the pressure of carbon emissions on customers and the entire supply chains, and sail towards the net-zero goal of maritime transport. READ MORE

Excerpt from Yang Ming/Biobased Diesel Daily: YM Together, the 11,000 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) container ship, recently became the first foreign-flagged vessel in South Korea to bunker biofuel, marking what Yang Ming said is the company’s steady progress in sustainable development and energy transition.

In collaboration with KPI OceanConnect, a marine energy supplier, YM Together, currently serving the Trans-Pacific route PN3, bunkered the B30 high-sulfur fuel oil (HSFO) biofuel at Pusan Port in South Korea June 26.

Yang Ming said the 30 percent biofuel portion of the fuel blend was made from used cooking oil (UCO) and complies with ISO 8217 and meets International Sustainability and Carbon Certification standards.

This biofuel also meets the green fuel standards of the FuelEU maritime initiative, reducing up to 25 percent of greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions compared to conventional marine fuels.

Apart from the biofuel, onboard facilities such as scrubbers and shore power systems (AMP) enable YM Together to effectively cut GHG emissions and offer customers transport services that are sustainable and environmentally friendly.

The addition of Pusan port as a biofuel bunkering port in Asia increases flexibility in bunkering options for different routes, which in turn helps Yang Ming to expand the use of biofuel.

In the meantime, the company is providing biofuel-usage data requested by a publicly owned local research institute in South Korea, hoping to accelerate the sustainable goal of energy transition in the industry by sharing practical experiences and contributing to academic research.

In response to the impact of global climate change, Yang Ming said it is carrying out various energy-saving measures in its operations to improve the fleet's energy efficiency.

These measures include retrofitting existing ships for energy efficiency, adopting smart technology to enhance onboard energy monitoring, using a weather-routing system to optimize routes and reduce fuel consumption, and fitting vessels with AMP systems for shore power.

In 2023, Yang Ming's fleet reduced carbon intensity by nearly 62 percent compared to the baseline year of 2008, achieving the International Maritime Organization’s goal of a 40 percent reduction by 2030 ahead of time.

Looking forward, Yang Ming said it will continue using ISCC-certified biofuel to cap its total yearly GHG emissions, reduce the pressure of carbon emissions on customers and the entire supply chains, and sail towards the net-zero goal of maritime transport. READ MORE

Excerpt from Offshore Energy: Hong Kong-based bunker service provider Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical (CPN) delivered 1,000 metric tons of B24 marine biofuel for Taiwan-based shipping company Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation’s 145,400 dwt containership YM Witness.

As informed, the vessel—built at South Korea’s Ulsan shipyard—was bunkered with the biofuel in Singapore on October 16, 2024.

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Yang Ming opted to switch to the use of sustainable marine fuel earlier this year. The company began its collaboration with CPN in March 2024, with the first vessel—the 22,000 dwt YM Inception—bunkered with biofuel on March 7 in Hong Kong and the second one, the 81,100 dwt YM Masculinity, the following day in Singapore, making the New Panamax YM Witness the third in this series. READ MORE