World’s largest ore exporter commits to biodiesel shipping fleet to cut carbon emissions - CarbonPositive

Posted - June 27, 2012 Carbon Positive 

The world's largest ore carrier, Brazilian mining company Valeoperators, is set to invest in a fleet of very large ore carriers (VLOC) that will operate on biofuel supplied by its own manufacturing plant, cutting annual fuel costs and reducing carbon emissions.

The project, which will cost more than $500 million, has led Vale to acquire an area of cleared land in the Amazon rainforest bigger than the city of London.

The plant, which will be producing 600,000 tonnes of palm oil per year by 2019 and will allow the company to run on so-called B20 diesel (with a 20 per cent biodiesel component), helping the company to cut its carbon emissions by 20m tonnes over the next 25 years.

Vale will use the self-manufactured biofuel to run its ships, trains, trucks and machinery, according to a report in the UK's Financial Times. According to Eduardo Ieda, head of Vale's biodiesel company Biopalma, the biofuel will be used in a blend with conventional fuel. Vale has said it wants to be using product with a 20% biodiesel content by 2017.

Vale's commitment to biodiesel comes at a time when US legislators appear to have blocked moves by the US Navy to make a partial switch to biofuel.

Last month the US House Armed Services Committee voted to stop the Department of Defense from buying or producing alternative fuels if they cost more than conventional fossil fuels.

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