First biofuel trial on sustainable barley shipment

The CBH Group has partnered with leading dry bulk operator Oldendorff Carriers. Hence, they will conduct the first biofuel trial on a grain vessel exporting from Australia.

Concept

CBH Marketing and Trading is shipping 30,000 tonnes of sustainably certified malting barley aboard the Edwine Oldendorff. Thus ,the vessel will depart from the Albany Grain Terminal bound for Vietnam this week.

Furthermore, the subject vessel will receive bunkering of a biofuel blend for the trial, supplied by integrated energy company bp. According to expectations, the biofuel blend will produce about 15% less greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) for this journey than conventional fossil fuels.

Sustainable Cargo

“Customers across the world are increasingly seeking to source sustainable products, including sustainable grain… Biofuel is one low-carbon option that could be part of the solution to reducing emissions in the shipping industry… We need to meet the growing market demand for sustainable or carbon reduced grain by being proactive, practical and adapting… Making sure we can continue to keep our WA growers competitive.”

Jason Craig, Chief Marketing and Trading Officer, CBH

Note that, the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification program accredits the malting barley as sustainable. Moreover, the subject cargo is intended for Vietnam’s leading malting company, Intermalt.

Intermalt services a number of brewing customers. Particularly, the largest being Heineken, which has set a target of a carbon neutral value chain by 2040.

The trial will provide information on; how the vessel engine responds to biofuel, its speed and efficiency, and measure the emissions it produces.

“We are very pleased to collaborate with industry leader CBH to trial biofuel in our vessel, Edwine Oldendorff. Collaboration is crucial for us all to learn and share information about the best paths in our efforts to decarbonise the supply chain.”

Ben Harper, Managing Director, Oldendorff Carriers Melbourne

In 2020-21, CBH sold 1.2 million tonnes of sustainably certified grain. Additionally, it reduced Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions on a per tonne basis by 38% from the previous year.

Source: CBH Group