11 MAY 2026 Another renewable diesel option that is often discussed, R99 fuel, is essentially a high-purity version of renewable diesel, consisting of about 99 percent HVO and one per- cent conventional petroleum diesel and performing in much the same way from an operational standpoint. Although these options offer ease-of-introduction, pricing for them can fluctuate and may carry a premium, as their current availability varies by region. However, it should be noted that municipalities that require their use are subsi- dizing the costs. In addition, their overall lifecycle emis- sions depend on how the fuel is produced. Another option, synthetic diesels, including e-diesel fuel, are produced using processes such as electrolysis or via the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis method—which is a cata- lytic chemical reaction that converts a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons. These synthetic options can be produced from coal, natural gas, or biomass. Because these fuels are made using captured carbon and renewable energy, they offer the potential for very low lifecycle emissions. From an operator’s perspective, the key benefit of synthetic diesel is similar to HVO in that it offers compatibility with existing engines. However, there are trade-offs, such as lim- ited large-scale availability today, higher production costs, and dependence on a renewable energy supply. Overall, if operators find the considerations of these drop- in fuel options to be surmountable for their specific oper- ations, they are currently the easiest way to start reducing emissions today. They allow users to avoid major capital upgrades, maintain existing vessel configurations and re- duce environmental impact immediately. GOING BEYOND DIESEL What’s Next? While drop-in fuels are useful in the near term, they don’t fully address long-term decarbonization goals, as they can Our waterjets represent the pinnacle of all-round operational efficiency, agile manoeuvrability, for swift turnarounds, and durability. www.hamiltonjet.com DOCK TO DOCK EFFICIENCY
View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.