The Rotterdam-Singapore Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC) partners have conducted a successful pilot for the bunkering of mass-balanced liquefied bio-methane (LBM) at the Port of Rotterdam (PoR) on 19 October 2024. A total of 100 tonnes of mass-balanced LBM was supplied by Shell to CMA CGM’s liquefied natural gas-powered containership CMA CGM TIVOLI.

2.   Produced from waste-based feedstock[1], the LBM used in this pilot provides a lower-emission alternative to conventional marine fuels. This initiative, led by the bio-methane working group, supports the GDSC’s broader commitment to advancing the adoption of near-zero emission fuels along one of the world’s busiest shipping trade routes.

3.   The bio-methane working group, led by SEA-LNG, is one of the working groups established to encourage the uptake of zero- and near-zero emission fuels. Other working groups are also exploring pathways for alternative fuels such as methanol, ammonia and hydrogen.

4.   Proof of Sustainability certificate verifying that the LBM fuel supplied complies with regulations by the European Union. The certificate will undergo auditing by third-parties accredited by International Sustainability and Carbon Certification-European Union (ISCC-EU)[2].

5.   The pilot applied the mass balance methodology[3]  to track the movement of the LBM through the supply chain and ensure compliance with ISCC-EU certification standards, Renewable Energy Directive II, and FuelEU Maritime regulations. This end-to-end certification and tracking supports the development of methodologies which will need to be consistent with the accounting framework adopted by countries under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. This test will also provide CMA CGM with the opportunity to ensure that mass-balanced LBM is properly recognised by the authorities in relation to the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) regulation. A similar LBM bunkering pilot with full sustainability certification is planned at the Port of Singapore.

6.   Established in August 2022 by PoR and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the Rotterdam-Singapore GDSC aims to accelerate maritime decarbonisation and digitalisation and foster collaboration among global ports and stakeholders. To-date, the GDSC initiative has brought together 28 global value-chain partners across shipping lines, fuel suppliers, port authorities and operator, industry coalitions, banks, leading institutes of higher learning and knowledge partners. 

7.   For further information and updates on the Rotterdam-Singapore Green and Digital Shipping Corridor, please contact Mandy Ros, Spokesperson Port of Rotterdam at mj.ros@portofrotterdam.com, or Jotham Teo, MPA Corporate Communications at media_enquiries@mpa.gov.sg. 

[2] The International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) is a certification system that ensures compliance with international sustainability standards for all sustainable feedstock, such as the production of bio-methane. ISCC-EU specifically applies to the raw materials and fuels stated in the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive.

[3] The mass balance methodology is a type of chain of custody approach that allows stakeholders to trace the sustainability of materials moving along the value chain through a "paper trail”. In the context of the pilot, mass balancing involves the blending of sustainability certified bio-methane with non-sustainability certified conventional LNG across transport, storage and distribution infrastructure within the EU grid.