Red Funnel trials biofuel on UK route

Red Funnel is trialling the use of Green D+ fossil-free biofuel on its Ro-Pax fleet of ferries that operate between Southampton and the Isle of Wight.

The cross-Solent ferry company has teamed with Green Biofuels for the trial.

The trial is using low-sulphur marine gas oil to power the main engines and on-board generators with low-emission renewable diesel fuel made by adding a nanotechnology-patented performance additive to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). The HVO is produced from a variety of waste and residue materials, such as used cooking oil and waste fats.

Mark Slawson, Red Funnel’s Fleet and Technical Director Mark Slawson said the trial is one of several initiatives Red Funnel is undertaking to significantly reduce its environmental footprint.

Unlike other alternative energy sources, switching to biofuel incurs no major infrastructure changes.