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Dutch firms Boskalis, the global dredging specialist, and GoodFuels Marine, a leading provider of sustainable marine biofuels to the global commercial shipping fleet, have announced that they have "successfully tested" a sustainable wood-based drop-in biofuel called UPM BioVerno.

The fuel, supplied by Finnish UPM Biofuels, is said to be the first ever biofuel derived from wood residue used by a marine fleet.

Boskalis's vessel EDAX, a 1696-deadweight-tonne (dwt) cutter suction dredger, has used the fuel in bio/fossil blends going up to 50 percent as it worked on phase one of the Marker Wadden project in the first half of 2016. This resulted in a CO2 saving of 600 metric tonnes over the operating period, the project partners said.

The EUR 33 million project includes the construction of an island with underwater landscaping to restore the Markermeer's delicate ecosystem.

The testing of this fuel marks another landmark development for the marine biofuels consortium that was announced in October last year by GoodFuels Marine, Boskalis and Wartsila, the global supplier of engines and power systems to the marine industry. The consortium was launched with the mission to spearhead a two-year pilot programme to accelerate the development of truly sustainable, scalable and affordable marine biofuels. All fuels being 'live' tested on board Boskalis vessels - including UPM BioVerno - were first extensively ground tested at the Wartsila lab in Vaasa, Finland.

Sustainable marine biofuels offer ship operators a way to reduce a vessel's CO2 emissions by 80 to 90 percent. They eliminate SOx emissions, cut NOx emissions by up to 10 percent and reduce particulate matter (PM) expelled in a ship's exhaust plume by around 50 percent. Forecasts have predicted that marine biofuels could make up 5 to 10 percent of the marine fuel mix by 2030, significantly contributing towards the reduction of the shipping industry's carbon footprint.

Dirk Kronemeijer, CEO of GoodFuels Marine commented: "We are extremely proud to add UPM Biofuels as a new partner in our ground-breaking test program with Boskalis and Wartsila. This co-operation will help to further accelerate supply of truly sustainable biofuel to the global maritime industry."

Maarten van Biezen, Mobility Policy Director at Dutch NGO Natuur & Milieu praised the project, commenting: "It is extremely encouraging to see GoodFuels Marine leading the way - together with Boskalis - towards the use of more sustainable, advanced biofuels on Dutch ships. This project is a true example for both the shipping and the biofuels industry of how to apply waste and residue-based biofuels."

Sari Mannonen, Head of UPM Biofuels added: "We are delighted to collaborate with GoodFuels, Boskalis and Wartsila on this initiative. Our renewable UPM BioVerno diesel is a great product for marine use - it is a sustainable and competitive fuel with several advantages. Its raw material is wood-based residue, and it reduces both greenhouse gas and exhaust emissions significantly. As the Netherlands is a key market in Europe for driving decarbonisation measures forward, it is very significant for UPM Biofuels to be part of this initiative."