Sohar Port employs biofuel for tugboat operations

Sohar Port has reported that it has become one of the first ports

in the Middle East to use biofuel bunkering in tugboat operations.

After receiving its first delivery of biofuel, the bunkering with B20 (a

mixture of 80 per cent diesel and 20 per cent biofuel) which began as a trial

for Tug Sohar is now set to be extended to all tugboats at the port.

Sohar Port is pioneering the use of biofuel and plans to expand the project

to include locomotives by next month. The port has also collaborated with

tugboat operator Svitzer, biofuel supplier Wakud, and bunker service provider,

Hormuz Marin.

Biofuel bunkering is expected to contribute to decreasing the company’s

greenhouse gas emissions towards an initial target of 17 per cent, in line with

Oman’s commitment to reach net zero by 2050. In this project, biofuel is sourced

from used cooking oil. An eco-friendly alternative to traditional fossil fuels

which reduces greenhouse gas emissions when burned.

Engineer Abdullah bin Ali Al Busaidi, an expert of the Zero Carbon

Neutrality Team at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information

Technology, highlighted that the Ministry is collaborating with various

government agencies on the 18 carbon laboratory initiatives.

“The Ministry has developed a clear and comprehensive roadmap for the

development of green ports, including multiple projects to reduce emissions,

transitioning equipment to operate on electrical energy and smart systems,

connect ships to electrical power, and establish a regional centre for supplying

ships with clean fuel.

“We are working with the concerned entities including the Environment

Agency, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, the Ministry of

Economy, and the private sector to address upcoming challenges such as pricing

differences between biofuel and conventional fuel,” Busaidi further added.

Al Busaidi elaborated that the private sector has also identified key raw

materials for the biofuel industry, focusing on waste cooking oils used in

restaurants and shops.

Deniz Kirdar True, Managing Director Svitzer AMEA, said. “We are proud that

Svitzer is collaborating with Sohar Port on this important initiative.

“Svitzer has been providing safe and reliable marine services to customers

in Sohar Port for many years, and in Sohar Port, we have found a partner who

shares our ambitious decarbonisation goals and is willing to do things

differently.

“This innovative project is an excellent example of how we can use our

experience and learnings from operations in other parts of the world to support

customers and other stakeholders locally in their efforts to reduce

environmental impact.”

Late last year, Sohar Port and Freezone announced the launch of Sohar

Net-Zero Alliance (SNZA) to accelerate Oman’s carbon neutrality efforts.

More recently, Sohar Port and Freezone inked a sub-usufruct agreement with

Marsa Liquefied Natural Gas LLC, a joint venture between Total Energies EP Oman

Development B.V. and OQ, to establish an LNG liquefaction facility.