Falmouth Harbour is now among the Harbours and Port Authorities in the UK to adopt renewable hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel for its workboat fleet, significantly reducing carbon emissions. A new £50,000, 6,500-litre HVO refuelling facility has been installed at the Harbour’s Marine Hub, with 50% match-funding from Cornwall Council’s Growth Hub Grants Programme
The HVO fuel it provides is produced from renewable sources like used cooking oil and vegetable oils that absorb CO2 during plant growth. When burned, HVO releases the same CO2 it absorbed, creating a closed-loop cycle where there is no net increase in atmospheric CO2. This reduces the carbon emissions by 50-90% when compared with fossil fuel diesel.
HVO is being tested across the Falmouth Harbour work fleet including the new £1.6M state-of-the-art Pilot Boat Atlantic, designed and built by Holyhead Marine in North Wales to be one of the cleanest, safest, most fuel-efficient Pilot Boats in the UK.
Falmouth Harbour’s HVO suppliers, Mitchell & Webber, confirm the premium, renewable HVO fuel has a chemical structure almost identical to regular diesel which it can replace in many marine engines.
Falmouth Harbour CEO Miles Carden says, “We’re really pleased that HVO can be used as a part of a transition away from fossil fuels and we feel it is a good interim fuel to enable us to rapidly reduce Green House Gas emissions from our existing fleet of work vessels. We will continue to proactively explore future fuel options as technology progresses.”
Certification schemes by the ISCC (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) and RFAS (Renewable Fuels Assurance Scheme) ensure that all HVO supplied to the Harbour is low-carbon and sourced from sustainable materials.
Mitchell & Webber Director Tristan Weedon says, “As pioneers in introducing HVO fuel to our varied domestic and commercial customers Mitchell & Webber are absolutely delighted to support Falmouth Harbour in implementing this renewable fuel for their fleet of work-boats.
“HVO fuel is biodegradable, non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, non-hydroscopic (it doesn’t absorb water) and has a higher flashpoint – so not only is it a greener fuel, but it is safer – all of which factors make it an ideal fuel for a marine environment.”
Cornwall Council’s Growth Hub Grants Programme is part of the Good Growth Programme which is delivering the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for environment and climate change, Cllr Loic Rich, says, “Reducing our Carbon footprint is a key priority for Cornwall Council and I am delighted to see us using Good Growth funding to help make a real difference at one of our key ports. I hope that, by switching to HVO, Falmouth Harbour will be leading the way for others to follow towards a greener future.”
Falmouth Harbour’s HVO fuel facility is being rigorously tested with its fleet of work boats over the next 8 weeks: if successful leisure boat owners who have been given the go-ahead from their engine manufacturers should be able to purchase and run their vessels on the renewable fuel later this year.
