ON DECEMBER 31 the Newcastlemax bulk carrier Berge Lyngor left Port Hedland, heading for China pioneering an iron ore voyage powered entirely by B100 biodiesel.

Berge Bulk and BHP have joined forces to pioneer the first use of B100 biodiesel on the iron ore trade route between Australia and China with the voyage powered entirely by B100 biodiesel.

The Berge Lyngor, a 206,330 DWT vessel successfully bunkered B100 biodiesel.

Head of Maritime Iron Ore at BHP, Gerard Ang said the collaboration with Berge Bulk represents an exciting step in BHP’s ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping of its products.

“Together, we are demonstrating that meaningful progress can be achieved through bold initiatives, innovation, and teamwork,” Mr Ang said.

A media release from Berge Bulk said B100 biodiesel uses vegetable oil, animal fat, tallow and/or waste cooking oil from restaurants and industrial kitchens and translates to an almost 84% reduction in well-to-wake greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to the equivalent quantity of conventional fossil fuel oil.

“Converting to new fuels is a key part of Berge Bulk’s Maritime Marshall Plan for decarbonisation. The company has been proactively exploring various fuels with potential for lower GHG emissions voyages,” the release said.

Those fuels include biodiesel (B30, B50, and B100) on voyages from Europe and North America since 2021.

In 2024, Berge Bulk announced plans to build two ammonia powered ships to be delivered by 2027 and in 2024, Berge Bulk also became a member of The Methanol Institute — the trade association for the global methanol industry, representing the world’s leading producers, distributors, shippers and technology companies.

This latest voyage of the Berge Lyngor represents the first time Berge Bulk will be using biodiesel on a voyage in the Pacific.

Chief Commercial Officer for Berge Bulk, Duncan Bond said Berge Bulk had committed to building and operating a zero Scope 1 emissions vessel by 2030 and achieving zero Scope 1 emissions fleetwide by 2050.

“This collaboration with BHP is a testament to what we can achieve together. By deploying B100 biodiesel on the Berge Lyngor, we are not only reducing carbon emissions for that voyage but also setting an example of how partnerships and innovation can lead to a greener future for shipping,” Mr Bond said.

Berge Bulk started out with 12 vessels in 2007 and now owns, operates, and manages a fleet of 90 vessels, equating to more than 15 million DWT.