Idemitsu Kosan Co. Ltd has teamed up with Kanematsu Corp. to become the first Japanese oil refiner to supply bio-blended fuel, a mixture of heavy oil and FAME, for ocean-going vessels. This collaboration will leverage the marine shipping facilities of Kanematsu Yuso Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Kanematsu Group, to create a bio-blended fuel supply system. Idemitsu has initiated fuel supply to companies like Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd, with a target of delivering 5,000 tons of bio-blended fuel, including to coastal vessels, by March 2026. This move is aimed at aiding the decarbonisation of the shipping sector.
The shipping industry is increasingly transitioning to fuels that emit fewer greenhouse gases, spurred by the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) targets for greenhouse gas reductions. To support this shift, operational trials for coastal vessels were conducted in Hokkaido between 2023 and 2024, focusing on commercialising biofuel blends that could reduce CO₂ emissions by about 20% compared to traditional marine fuels. Despite challenges posed by Hokkaido’s cold climate, which can cause fuel to solidify, trials confirmed that bio-blended fuel can operate reliably under existing conditions.
Moving forward, Idemitsu and Kanematsu will begin supplying bio-blended fuel to both coastal and ocean-going vessels using facilities at Kanematsu Oil Tank’s Kokura Oil Tank Yard in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture. This initiative marks a significant step towards more sustainable practices within the maritime industry.
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