Swedish tanker operator Furetank has signed an agreement to operate its EU-based fleet on biomethane, marking what the company describes as the completion of a transition it began a decade ago.

The company has secured sufficient biogas to power all its wholly and partly owned gas-propelled vessels trading in the EU during 2025, with most vessels already bunkered as the transition takes place.

The move has been enabled by the FuelEU Maritime regulation, which came into force at the start of this year and allows companies to account for mass-balanced biogas — certified biogas that can be injected into one end of the European gas grid and withdrawn at the other.

"This was our target when we converted our first vessel to gas propulsion in 2015. It is remarkable that we have finally reached the point we have worked for and talked about for so long," said Viktoria Höglund, sustainability strategist at Furetank.

The purchased biomethane provides what Furetank claims is a 150-200% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on a well-to-wake basis. The company says this is achieved because biomethane produced from waste such as manure prevents methane from being released during natural decomposition whilst replacing fossil fuels in vessel operations.

Agricultural group Cargill produces the biogas from waste, while Titan Clean Fuels liquefies and delivers the mass-balanced liquefied biomethane (LBM).

"What makes this agreement stand out is its scale. Furetank has secured significant volumes, becoming one of the first movers in this market," said Willem Olde Kalter, responsible for biogas and FuelEU at Cargill.

Lana Sissing, client manager at Titan Clean Fuels, noted: "This is a perfect demonstration of all players in the supply chain working together to make a pioneering deal happen."

Around 10% of Furetank's vessel operations cannot be powered by biomethane, including pilot fuel for gas engines. The company is trialling hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO100) renewable diesel supplied by ScanOcean as a replacement for marine gasoil.

Energy-intensive cargo pumps can now be operated via shore power connections on all relevant Furetank vessels, provided ports offer the facility.

The company's vessel Fure Valö is scheduled to arrive at the Donsö Shipping Meet on September 1 operating in what Furetank describes as a completely fossil-free manner.

"This means we have done everything currently possible to enter the fossil-free era. In this way, we demonstrate that the 2050 targets are within reach in the immediate future," Höglund said.