Sohar Port welcomes first shipment of biofuel in Oman

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In line with global trends aimed at promoting marine sustainability and reducing carbon emissions, the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology, along with its strategic partners in Omani ports, is working on strategic plans to transition to green mobility and achieve carbon neutrality in the Sultanate by 2050. Sohar Port has announced the receipt of its first shipment of B20 fuel (a blend of 80% diesel and 20% biofuel) to begin the pilot phase of using biofuel in its marine tug operations, starting with the tugboat "Sohar," and then expanding the project to include all tugs by next month in collaboration with Svitzer, Waqud, and Hormuz Marine.

On this occasion, Emile Hoogsteden, CEO of Sohar Port, stated: "Marine operations are the main contributor to greenhouse gas emissions at Sohar Port, which have increased with our growth due to fuel consumption for our tugboat operations. The use of biofuel will significantly reduce emission levels, supporting the country's efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. By intensifying our efforts with partners who share our vision and approach, this project has become an exemplary model in the region and beyond."

Engineer Abdullah bin Ali al Busaidi, an expert on the carbon neutrality team at the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology, confirmed that the ministry is currently collaborating with various government entities on the 18 carbon lab initiatives. In the area of green ports, the ministry has laid out a clear roadmap that includes several projects to reduce emissions, convert equipment to operate on electric power and smart systems, connect ships to electrical power, and decarbonize the port sector. The ministry is also working on establishing a regional center for supplying ships with clean fuel. He emphasized that the ministry, in collaboration with entities involved in the biofuel initiative such as the Environment Authority, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, and the Ministry of Economy, has reached some important outcomes. Additionally, the private sector has contributed to resolving some project challenges, the most significant being the price difference between biofuel and regular fuel.

Al Busaidi added that the private sector has identified primary materials for biofuel production, focusing on used cooking oils from restaurants and commercial outlets. Sultan Qaboos University, in collaboration with Petroleum Development Oman, has made significant efforts to innovate a method using date pits as a primary material in biofuel, which has already been used in one of Mwasalat's buses.

Deniz Kirdar True, General Manager of Svitzer in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, commented: "We are proud to collaborate with Sohar Port on this important initiative." She added, "Svitzer has been providing safe and reliable marine services to customers at Sohar Port for years, and in this partnership, we found an ally who shares our ambitious goals for decarbonization and is ready to do things differently and innovatively. This pioneering project is a unique example of leveraging our global expertise to share with our partners in Oman on their journey towards reducing environmental impacts."

Suleiman al Hadhrami, CEO of Hormuz Marine, stated: “Working with Sohar Port to supply the first biofuel for ships in Oman is a pivotal step towards emissions reduction and sustainability in the maritime industry. While marine fuel remains necessary in the short term, the gradual increase in biofuel use will result in a significant reduction in harmful emissions. This shift aligns with global efforts to combat climate change and demonstrates a commitment to a cleaner, more sustainable future in maritime shipping."

The company has set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 17%, in line with the Sultanate's aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Biofuel, derived from living organisms whether plant or animal, is one of the renewable energy sources. In this project, biofuel is locally produced from cooking oil and is considered an environmentally friendly alternative, as it reduces harmful emissions when burned compared to traditional fossil fuels.

The project embodies the strategy of Sohar Port and Freezone to enhance the circular economy and support economic development in the Sultanate of Oman by maintaining the sustainability of its natural resources in line with the goals set in Oman Vision 2040.