Quadrise and MSC Shipmanagement will carry out proof of concept tests and operational trials using bioMSAR and MSAR fuel on ‘one or more’ of MSC’s containerships.
Announcing the framework agreement, Quadrise said that the proof of concept trials (POC trials) will initially be carried out on a vessel now owned by MSC that has previously been used for MSAR demonstrations on a 69MW 2-stroke engine. The tests will begin no later than 31 December this year, subject to the ongoing availability of the vessel. It is estimated that each of the tests will require 1,000 metric tons (mt) of fuel to confirm the ship’s engine performance.
Subject to positive results from the POC Trials, the fuels will then undergo operational trials to provide commercial operating experience with a view to obtaining Letters of No Objection (LONOs) from the engine manufacturer. Proof of the operational viability of bioMSAR and MSAR will be required at a midway point and at the final stage, after around 4,000 operating hours.
According to Quadrise, some 25,000 mt of fuel will be required for each of the trials. The fuel will be produced by Quadrise and purchased by MSC.
Should the trial move forward to the interim LONO stage, the two parties intend to negotiate a commercial agreement to supply bioMSAR and/or MSAR to be used by MSC. They will also consider opportunities to test the Quadrise Blend-on-Board solution on an MSC vessel.
Quadrise’s CEO, Jason Miles, commented on the new agreement: ‘Quadrise is delighted to have signed this new agreement with MSC Shipmanagement, the biggest in-house ship management company globally responsible for the largest container ship fleet in the world.
‘We look forward to working with MSC and project stakeholders to demonstrate the commercial viability and environmental benefits of our fuels to the wider seaborne fleet. MSC sets the standard for energy efficiency and biofuel use in the marine sector, and we believe that our bioMSAR and MSAR technology offers an excellent solution to accelerate their decarbonisation and emissions reduction efforts.’
Prabhat Jha, Group MD & CEO of MSC Shipmanagement Ltd, added: ‘MSC Shipmanagement is delighted to be working with the Quadrise team under this new agreement, as together we have an important enabling role in the marine energy transition towards a net zero carbon future and reducing our own vessel emissions.
‘MSC has one of the youngest fleets among the world’s leading shipping lines, and we seek to continually improve energy efficiency by collaborating with suppliers such as Quadrise to promote the wider adoption of low and zero-carbon fuels.’