Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Completes Biofuel Trial

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Completes Biofuel Trial

PRIO, a producer of biofuels in Portugal, and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings in collaboration with World Fuel Services (WFS) have successfully completed the first trials with sustainable biofuels produced in Portugal, according to a press release.

Following the launch of ECO Bunkers B15 and taking the first step towards the decarbonization of maritime transport in the Iberian Peninsula, PRIO has announced a blend of Biofuels with 30 per cent renewable base material.

This milestone was achieved in collaboration with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and the Florida-based energy and services company World Fuel Services.

The new fuel, ECO Bunkers B30, contains a blend of 30 per cent of advanced biofuel from waste raw materials and it is produced at PRIO’s biodiesel plant in Aveiro. This enables the company to scale up production as demand increases and to adjust the percentage of Biodiesel blends (up to a 100 per cent renewable product).

Luis Nunes, a member of PRIO’s Executive Board said: “Advanced biofuels, produced from residual raw materials, i.e., the result of circular economy, are the solution of the present and that allows us to immediately meet the growing needs of our clients. They are “drop-in” solutions, meaning that they did not require any modifications to the engine or tank of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ cruise ships and, in this way, allowed an immediate impact without any need for additional investment in these ships.

“We are at a crucial moment in the world’s response to climate and biodiversity emergencies, so PRIO believes we can already accelerate the energy transition if we increase the contribution of advanced biofuels in the maritime sector,” he added.

PRIO has established itself as the ideal partner for maritime companies on the road toward decarbonization of the sector.

With the help of World Fuel Services, two Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings ships were fueled with a total of 400 tons of B30 supplied by PRIO last year.

The Norwegian Star received 200 tons of ECO Bunkers B30 in Lisbon in November.

The following week, the Norwegian Epic, received another 200 tons of ECO Bunkers B30. This has enabled the cruise company to avoid approximately 440 tons of CO2 emissions.