Aurora Expeditions claims its expedition vessel Sylvia Earle achieved a 90% reduction in fuel-related greenhouse gas emissions during a trial of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) biofuel along the Spanish coast in May.

The company said the Sylvia Earle became the first Infinity-class ship to trial HVO, a sustainable biofuel made entirely from used cooking oil. After bunkering the alternative fuel in Valencia, Spain, the vessel operated for several days running on 100% HVO.

According to Aurora Expeditions, the trial resulted in an estimated 90% reduction in fuel-related greenhouse gas emissions with no impact on engine performance.

The expedition cruise operator described the trial as part of its decarbonisation journey and commitment to protecting remote environments visited during its voyages.

HVO is produced through a hydrotreatment process that converts waste vegetable oils and animal fats into a drop-in replacement for conventional marine gas oil. The biofuel can be used in existing marine engines without modification.

Aurora Expeditions operates a fleet of purpose-built expedition vessels serving destinations including Antarctica, the Arctic, and remote islands.