Brazil completes first bioethanol bunkering for container ship, towards green shipping
New Delhi, July 14
Brazil has completed its first bioethanol bunkering operation for a container ship, marking a major milestone in the use of renewable fuels for maritime transport and strengthening the country's position in the global low-carbon shipping transition.
According to a statement by Copersucar, a leading sugar trading company of Brazil, the operation was successfully carried out at the Port of Santos, the world's first 13,000 TEU containership equipped with a tri-fuel certified engine capable of operating on bioethanol.
The operation was conducted in partnership with CMA CGM Group, AGEO Terminais, Santos Brasil and Bunker One. It represents the first time a container ship has been supplied with Brazilian-made bioethanol fuel for maritime operations.
Copersucar said the pioneering operation positions Brazil among the countries capable of carrying out bioethanol bunkering while reinforcing bioethanol as an immediately available solution to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the global shipping industry.
The company stated "successfully completed a bioethanol bunkering operation for the CMA CGM IRON, the first 13,000 TEU tri-fuel certified engine containership, at the Port of Santos".
The company said the bioethanol supplied for the operation came through its certified supply chain. It added that sugarcane expansion in Brazil mainly takes place on degraded pastureland, while the country's RenovaBio programme establishes strict sustainability and zero-deforestation requirements.
Copersucar is a massive Brazilian agribusiness and energy company that operates as the world's largest originator and trader of cane sugar and one of the largest marketers of ethanol.
According to the statement, the bunkering operation required extensive coordination across the supply chain, including transportation of bioethanol to the Port of Santos, storage in dedicated infrastructure and transfer of the fuel to the vessel through a specialised barge while following international safety and operational standards.
Copersucar said the project provides practical evidence that bioethanol can play an important role in decarbonising maritime transport. Besides reducing greenhouse gas emissions, bioethanol offers immediate commercial-scale availability, an established production infrastructure in Brazil and competitive economics, making it a viable alternative marine fuel.
The company added that beyond this demonstration, the Port of Santos and Santos Brasil are positioning themselves as a future low-carbon marine fuel hub for South America. As the continent's largest port, Santos has the potential to connect Brazil's renewable energy resources with growing global demand for sustainable shipping fuels.
CMA CGM said the initiative forms part of its commitment to achieve Net Zero Carbon by 2050. The group expects to operate around 200 containerships capable of using low-carbon energy by 2031.
The CMA CGM IRON, delivered in 2025, is the first vessel in a series of twelve 13,000 TEU containerships equipped with the world's first tri-fuel engine certified to operate on bioethanol.
— ANI
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