Maersk Tests SoladieselRD in Commercial Voyage

January 24, 2012
AlgaeIndustryMagazine.com

olazyme, Inc. has announced that Maersk Line, one of the largest shipping companies in the world, has completed the testing of Solazyme’s 100% algal derived renewable diesel as part of an integrated testing and certification program with the U.S. Navy. The test, which substituted Solazyme’s renewable fuel for diesel, took place aboard the 300-meter Maersk Kalmar container vessel over a one-month, 6,500 nautical mile voyage from Northern Europe to India, burning about 30 tons of Solazyme’s renewable advanced biofuel, SoladieselRD®.

This test, performed in collaboration with the U.S. Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), represents the first use of Solazyme’s fuel aboard a Maersk Line vessel. Maersk’s Kalmar had a dedicated auxiliary test engine, and engineers and crew onboard the vessel, testing fuel blends ranging from 7% to 100% in the auxiliary engine throughout the voyage.

“Maersk Line is committed to exploring the potential of biofuel for becoming a fuel for shipping in the future. We are pleased to see progress on algae-based biofuels and we encourage further development to make such fuels available at commercial scale,” said Jacob Sterling, Head of Climate and Environment at Maersk Line.

“The results of this collaboration will better inform the Navy’s test plan as we prepare to demonstrate a Green Strike Group of ships this summer operating with a 50/50 renewable fuel blend,” said Glen Sturtevant, director for Science and Technology at the Navy’s Program Executive Office. ”The results of this test build on the Navy’s ongoing efforts to test the use of biofuels in our ships, boats and craft.”

Norfolk, Virginia-based Maersk Line, which has worked with the U.S. Navy for nearly 30 years, led the test. The Navy also plans to test more ships on algal fuel this year as part of its “green fleet” initiative, pledging to meet 50% of its energy requirements with alternative sources by 2020.

Solazyme has completed the delivery of over 360,000 liters of the in-specification fuel to the U.S. Navy, the largest delivery of microbially-derived advanced biofuels to date. Solazyme’s renewable diesel and jet fuels meet all of the EU, ASTM and Military specifications for fuel.

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