Global towage provider, Svitzer, and Höegh Autoliners, a global ro-ro operator, have partnered to deliver Svitzer’s “EcoTow” service in Australia for the first time.
Svitzer describes EcoTow as a “carbon insetting solution”.
Carbon insetting is described by vari0us authorities as a way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from a company’s activities. The World Economic Forum describes “carbon insetting” as the use of nature-based actions to reduce carbon. Svitzer does this specifically by using a biofuel known as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, which is created by adding hydrogen and removing oxygen from various kinds of vegetable oil.
Svitzer reports that its EcoTow product produces 100% tank to wake carbon savings and that it follows the approach of the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification and the Global Logistics Emission Council. Svitzer EcoTow is audited each year by an external auditor.
ExoTow “has provided a near 100% reduction in CO2 emissions relating to the towage operations of Höegh Aurora’s port calls during her maiden voyage to
Australia,” the company says, adding, “with the EcoTow solution, the carbon emissions from towage jobs are mass balanced by carbon credits generated by Svitzer’s use of biofuel across its international towage operations. The neutralisation effect is established by an external auditor and documented through certification and assurance reporting”.
Sebjørn Dahl, Chief Operations Officer at Höegh Autoliners, said: “Höegh Autoliners is whole-heartedly set on achieving our 2040 net-zero emissions goal, and the EcoTow agreement with Svitzer on the Höegh Aurora’s visit to Australia illustrates our ongoing commitment in meeting these goals”.
Svitzer’s Managing Director for Australia, Videlina Georgieva, said: “This is an exciting step forward for decarbonising shipping in Australia – and a demonstration of the significant contribution maritime can make toward a Net Zero future. We commend Höegh Autoliners for the industry leadership they have shown and their commitment to driving a cleaner, more sustainable future. We are thankful for the opportunity to work closely with our customers to reduce emissions while also providing sustainable, safe and reliable marine services.
“Svitzer has ambitious decarbonisation goals to have fully carbon neutral operations by 2040 and to reduce the carbon intensity of its tugboat fleet by 50 per cent by 2030. We hope this initiative provides some further impetus to the policy landscape in Australia where there is a major, but largely unmet, opportunity to accelerate bioenergy and electrification solutions in maritime decarbonisation.”
The Höegh Aurora’s maiden voyage to Australia occurred in late December 2024, departing 30 December after completing a four-port visit to Australia where it has transported cars to the Australian retail automotive market via ports at Fremantle, Melbourne, Port Kembla and Brisbane.
What is Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil?
HVO is a diesel-like fuel that has recent biological materials (as opposed to ancient biological materials, like fossil fuels) as its feedstock. Various kinds of plant oils, such as waste vegetable oils, seed oils, and the like form the feedstock. Introduction of hydrogen molecules, followed by the removal of oxygen and water molecules creates HVO. Provided it is made with oils from sustainable sources, and provided it is made with renewable energy, it is considered to be a green fuel as the carbon dioxide produced during combustion is merely returning the CO2 to the atmosphere from where it was drawn down by the plants that eventually produced the vegetable oil feedstock.
HVO is so diesel-like it is generally considered to be a drop-in fuel in that it can be blended with diesel and used in infrastructure and equipment designed for diesel.
HVO has a flashpoint (ignition temperature) greater than 61 degrees C, has an autoignition temperature of 204 degrees, flammability limits (volume % in the air) of approximately 0.6 to 7.5, and is not toxic (“Comparison of Alternative Marine Fuels,” SEA / LNG – DNVGL 2019-0567, Rev 3).
It has a density of about 780 kg per metre cubed; a gravimetric energy content of about 44.1 MJ/kg and a volumetric energy density of 34.4 MJ/L; a cloud point of -40 degrees C (the point at which wax crystals form in liquid fuel); a very high cetane number > 70 (the higher the number, the better the combustion); is practically free of metals and ash-forming elements, and generally has no issues with water separation or microbiological growth (“Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil,” Neste Oil, February 2014).
