Vitol Bunkers and Olam Agri have completed Singapore’s first bio-bunkering operation involving very low sulphur fuel oil co-processed with cashew nutshell liquid, known as CNSL.

The trial involved the delivery of 246.5 tonnes of co-processed VLSFO to MV Scion Mathilda at the port of Singapore. The supply comprised 212 tonnes of conventional VLSFO and 34.5 tonnes of CNSL-based co-processed VLSFO.

Vitol Bunkers supplied the fuel, while Olam Agri’s ocean freight business procured it. The vessel subsequently used the fuel while transporting cargo from Caofeidian, China, to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, before sailing in ballast from Rotterdam to Barcarena, Brazil.

Total fuel consumption during the voyage consisted of 1,354 tonnes of VLSFO, 101 tonnes of marine gas oil and 34.1 tonnes of co-processed VLSFO.

According to the companies, the voyage was completed without operational problems. They said the trial demonstrated that the co-processed product could be consumed without additional onboard handling procedures or fuel treatment requirements, while maintaining the vessel’s normal operational routine.

The project was also intended to address concerns associated with the direct blending of CNSL into marine fuel. Such blending has raised questions about material compatibility and fuel handling. Co-processing the feedstock within a refinery stream is presented as an alternative route that allows CNSL to be used while retaining the characteristics of conventional VLSFO.

The resulting product conforms to the RMG380 VLSFO grade and has the same chemical composition and quality as conventional fuel, the companies said. On that basis, they added that its use does not require additional permissions or special provisions in charterparty agreements.

Olam Agri described the deployment as a proof of concept that delivered verified greenhouse gas mitigation while preserving operational integrity. Martin Fynbo, head of bunkers at Olam Agri’s ocean freight business, said the trial showed that a previously overlooked bio-product could provide an operationally viable and sustainable option for shipping.

Vitol Bunkers Trading Manager Sherman Yeo said the operation demonstrated that co-processed VLSFO could be supplied and consumed at sea without affecting vessel performance or established routines. He also pointed to the company’s mass-balance approach as a potential new pathway for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from marine fuels.

CNSL is a by-product of cashew processing. Vitol Bunkers and Olam Agri said the trial could offer a scalable route for using the waste-based feedstock in shipping’s decarbonisation efforts. They also highlighted the potential importance of underutilised feedstocks as emissions requirements tighten towards 2030 and competition for sustainable bio-feedstocks increases across shipping, aviation and road transport.