Bunker One has carried out what it says is Latin America’s first bioethanol bunkering operation for an ocean-going vessel, delivering 500,000 litres of anhydrous ethanol to a CMA CGM container ship at the Port of Santos, Brazil.

The fuel was supplied by Copersucar, a sugar and bioethanol company, to the CMA CGM Iron — CMA CGM’s first 13,000-teu container vessel equipped with a certified tri-fuel engine capable of operating on bioethanol. Bunker One executed the operation using its barge Dona Isa.

Peter Zachariassen, CEO of Bunker One, stated: “The question is no longer whether bioethanol can be used as a marine fuel. It is whether it can be supplied safely and reliably at the point of demand. This operation demonstrates Bunker One’s ability to bring together the expertise, infrastructure and execution required to make that happen.”

Operational preparation

Commercial bioethanol bunkering operations remain limited globally, largely because handling low-flashpoint fuels requires a different operational approach than conventional marine fuels.

Prior to the delivery, Bunker One’s barge Dona Isa underwent dedicated technical preparation, including cargo tank conditioning, transfer procedure development, emergency response planning, crew training and the implementation of specialised safety measures for bioethanol handling.

Bunker One also incorporated the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) checklist for low-flashpoint fuel operations and established a dedicated emergency response plan for the delivery. Crew members, operational personnel and HSE teams participated in both theoretical and practical training programmes before the operation was carried out.

Flavio Ribeiro, Managing Director of Bunker One LatAm, remarked: “Brazil already possesses one of the world’s most mature and scalable bioethanol supply chains. This operation demonstrates how that capability can be connected to international shipping through safe and reliable bunkering infrastructure.”

Brazil’s role in the energy transition

The operation is said to highlight the potential role of Brazil’s established bioethanol industry in serving global shipping markets. By combining Copersucar’s bioethanol supply capabilities with Bunker One’s bunkering execution, the two companies claim to have established a practical link between Brazilian renewable fuel production and the demand for alternative marine fuels.

Tomás Manzano, President of Copersucar, commented: “More than a pioneering bunkering operation, we are building the conditions for bioethanol to become part of the navigation energy matrix in a competitive way, expanding Brazil’s leading role in the transition to a low-carbon economy.”

The operation also underlines a broader challenge facing shipping’s energy transition: developing new fuels is only part of the equation. The industry will also need to establish practical methods for storing, transporting and supplying those fuels at ports around the world — shifting the focus from fuel availability alone to operational readiness.