The Royal Netherlands Standardization Institute (NEN) has released the NEN 7427-1, a newly established standard specifically for the use of biofuels in the maritime shipping sector.
This standard aims to address the need for a dedicated specification for biofuels used in shipping, which has been lacking until now. It serves as a complementary standard to the existing ISO 8217, which governs marine fuel quality but was not originally developed with biofuels in mind.
The purpose of NEN 7427-1 is to provide a specific specification for biofuels used in the shipping sector. It includes the quality requirements for FAME (fatty acid methyl esters) and M-FAME (marine FAME) to be blended with marine fuels. This new standard is designed to work alongside ISO 8217, facilitating the use of high-quality biofuels in the maritime industry.
Key Points of NEN 7427-1:
- Purpose: To provide a specific specification for biofuels used in the shipping sector.
- Scope: Includes the quality requirements for FAME (fatty acid methyl esters) and M-FAME (marine FAME) to be blended with marine fuels.
- Complementarity: Designed to work alongside ISO 8217, facilitating the use of high-quality biofuels in the maritime industry.
- Development: Created by the working group ‘alternative fuels for maritime shipping,’ which includes representatives from Dutch and Belgian petroleum producers, biodiesel producers, and shipping companies.
- Future Integration: Aims to be introduced within ISO and CEN to potentially update ISO 8217 to incorporate M-FAME.
NEN 7427-1 was developed by the working group ‘alternative fuels for maritime shipping,’ which includes representatives from Dutch and Belgian petroleum producers, biodiesel producers, and shipping companies. This collaborative effort aims to support the maritime sector in meeting international emission reduction targets by enabling the use of sustainable biofuels, thereby promoting further environmental sustainability in shipping.
In the future, NEN 7427-1 is expected to be introduced within ISO and CEN, potentially leading to an update of ISO 8217 to incorporate M-FAME. This integration will help standardize the use of biofuels in maritime fuel, ensuring consistency and quality across the industry.
