The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has commissioned a new study to examine how biodiesel blends used in ships behave if accidentally released into the sea, amid growing use of alternative marine fuels, Manifold Times reported.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, EMSA said the study will focus on blends of biodiesels with conventional marine bunker fuels to address gaps in understanding their potential impact as marine pollutants and the effectiveness of existing spill response measures.
Among the alternative fuels currently being introduced in the shipping sector are biodiesel blends based on Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME), Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and Fischer–Tropsch (FT). These fuels are considered near-term solutions as they can be used in existing ship engines and fuel infrastructure without major modifications.
Blends such as B20, B30 and B50, when mixed with Marine Gas Oil (MGO) or Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO), help reduce emissions while allowing ships to continue operating with current systems.
However, EMSA noted that the environmental behaviour of these blends in the event of spills has not been fully studied. There is limited documented evidence on how they spread, break down or can be recovered in marine environments, underlining the need for detailed testing.
The study is being conducted jointly by the World Maritime University (WMU) and Cedre, a specialist centre in marine pollution response. It aims to strengthen spill preparedness and contingency planning as the maritime sector moves towards wider adoption of alternative fuels.
