Neste, PTL Marine Partner for Renewable Diesel
Neste has forged a strategic alliance with PTL Marine, a division of Pilot Thomas Logistics, to bring Neste MY Renewable Diesel™ to the marine sector throughout the state of California.
PTL Marine is a prominent supplier of maritime fuel, lubricants, provisions, and last-mile logistics. This collaboration aims to facilitate the marine industry in California's access to renewable diesel.
As of January 1, 2023, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) implemented the Commercial Harbor Craft (CHC) regulation. This regulation mandates that commercial harbour craft vessels operating in California's ports and coastal regions must utilise renewable diesel (referred to locally as R99 or R100) instead of ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD).
Its primary goal is to curtail emissions of pollutants like particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. This rule applies to the use of on-water diesel fuels in California harbours, ports, navigable waterways, marinas, and marine navigation districts.
Carrie Song, Vice President of Renewable Road Transportation, Americas at Neste, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership with PTL Marine. She emphasised the diverse applications of renewable diesel in heavy-duty sectors and commended California for promoting its use beyond road transportation.
The goal is to reduce emissions, particularly from older engines, and the collaboration with strategic partners like PTL Marine will make renewable diesel more accessible to California's marine industry.
While ports play a vital role in the U.S. economy, the emissions resulting from fossil fuel use have adverse effects on public health and the climate, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Research by CARB indicates that renewable diesel can achieve up to a 26.6% reduction in fine particulate emissions and up to an 11.8% reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in harbour craft equipped with Tier 2 marine-certified engines, compared to fossil diesel.
Renewable diesel offers an immediately available solution for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Made from sustainably sourced, 100% renewable raw materials, Neste MY Renewable Diesel can lead to up to a 75% reduction in GHG emissions over its life cycle compared to fossil diesel.
Because it shares a similar chemical composition with fossil diesel, it can seamlessly replace it in all diesel-powered vessels without necessitating new vehicle fleets, engine modifications, or alterations to fuel distribution infrastructure. Furthermore, it meets all CARB requirements, including a flash point of 140°F or higher.
PTL Marine, with its extensive experience in supplying fuels and lubricants to marine clients, can efficiently deliver Neste MY Renewable Diesel using three delivery modes: truck-to-vessel, dockside services, and barge-to-vessel. These versatile delivery options ensure that a wide range of harbour craft, from small ferries to large commercial fishing boats, as well as offshore working vessels and large cargo ships, can easily access renewable fuel.
Steven Taylor, Business Development Manager at PTL Marine, expressed satisfaction with the partnership and highlighted the shared values and commitment to innovation that make it an exciting collaboration.
Neste has been providing renewable diesel to California since 2016 and currently boasts an annual production capacity of 1.14 billion gallons (3.3 million tonnes) of renewable products worldwide. This capacity is set to increase to 1.9 billion gallons (5.5 million tonnes) in early 2024 due to the expansion of production at Neste's refinery in Singapore and the company's joint operation with Marathon Petroleum in Martinez, CA.
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Source: Neste
