Enviva Inc., the world's largest producer of sustainable wood bioenergy, and MOL Drybulk Ltd. (MOLDB), a subsidiary of Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd. (MOL), a leading global maritime transport group, announced that they have signed a supplementary memorandum of understanding to deploy an environmentally friendly bulk carrier (EFBC) to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the maritime transport of sustainable wood pellets and biofuels .
Following a successful joint study phase, the EFBC is scheduled to launch in 2024 and will aim to use rotor sail technology developed by Anemoi Marine Technologies Ltd together with MOL's 'Wind Challenger' technology, both of which would reduce emissions by using wind energy, for an expected average GHG savings of approximately 20 percent in total. The 62.900 tonne (dwt) vessel will be built by Oshima Shipbuilding.
Wood pellets from sustainable sources, such as the wood pellets Enviva produces, are considered carbon neutral even when the entire supply chain is taken into account, and have been proven to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 85 percent on a life cycle basis compared to coal . As part of Enviva's goal to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 2030, the company has committed to addressing scope 3 emissions by proactively working with partners such as MOLDB to develop new clean energy solutions develop and implement. With pellet shipments across the Atlantic Ocean currently accounting for one-third of Enviva's supply chain emissions, this partnership will deliver major carbon savings across the upstream and downstream value chain.
“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our supply chain is a top priority for us,” said Thomas Meth, Chief Commercial Officer of Enviva. “While we have made progress in reducing the carbon footprint of our operations, there are more innovative opportunities like the one we are working with MOLDB to continue pushing for more circular approaches in our supply chain. We are extremely excited about building on our relationship with MOLDB to help achieve our goals of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2.”
Kazuhiko Kikuchi, President and Representative Director of MOLDB said: “We are very pleased to make this announcement, together with our long-term partner, Enviva. Their support and commitment to this project is invaluable. The aim of launching MOLDB is to become a team of professionals in the dry bulk sector, working closely with our customers to meet their needs and provide solutions. The EFBC is a great example and we can't wait to see this truly unique vessel set sail and catch the wind.”
Plans for the development of the Wind Challenger began in 2009 as a joint research project between industry and academia, led by the University of Tokyo. MOL took charge of the plan in 2018 and has been working on the technology since then. The first Wind Challenger is scheduled for the second half of this year. The system converts wind energy into propulsion force with a telescopic hard sail. The long-term goal is to develop a widely accepted shipping solution to achieve the International Maritime Organization's target in combination with other measures to reduce greenhouse gases by equipping ships with multiple sails.
Source: Enviva
