The new version of the China Classification Society's "Bio-Fuel Application Guidelines for Ships" will come into effect on April 1, 2025. When effective, the Guidelines will replace the Biodiesel section of Title 3 of the Guidelines for Alternative Fuels for Marine Applications (2017).

The Guide is divided into 10 chapters, which respectively put forward safety and environmental protection technical requirements for fuel storage, supply, use, fire protection, air pollution prevention and ship inspection, etc., providing an effective basis for the design, drawing examination, construction and inspection of ships using biofuel, and will play a positive role in promoting the low-carbon development of the shipping industry.

In recent years, under the background of the International Maritime Organization (IMO)2023 greenhouse gas emission reduction strategy for ships and the rapid promotion of domestic "carbon peak carbon neutral" policy, the green and low-carbon energy transformation of shipping has gradually accelerated, and biofuel, as an important solution, can strongly support the shipping industry to achieve greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. There are many kinds of biofuels, which have great advantages and application potential in the shipping industry because of their plug-and-play (drop-in) characteristics.

In response to the urgent needs of the industry, the Wuhan Institute of Specifications of China Classification Society led the organization of the relevant units within the system to set up a project team, combined with the actual needs of the green and low-carbon development of the industry, the relevant IMO circular requirements and the latest research results of China Classification Society, in accordance with the principles of safety, rationality and operability, research and preparation of the "Guidelines for the Application of biofuels in ships".

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Reproduced in: DNV