The UK’s Falmouth Harbour has become one of the first UK coastal harbours to supply Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) to both leisure and commercial boat owners.
The supply follows a year of testing the diesel alternative on the harbour’s workboat fleet.
The fuel will be available from a new £50,000 fuel berth created with 50% match-funding from Cornwall Council’s Growth Hub Grants Programme.
The investment was supported by the Government’s Low Carbon Levelling Up Fund which is helping accelerate practical decarbonisation across the maritime sector.
The fuel can be used by boat owners whose engines which are approved to the EN 15940 standard.
Lower-carbon marine fuels
“If you have a compatible boat and want to be greener it’s a no brainer to switch to HVO as it’s such a similar product,” said Falmouth Harbour’s commercial operations manager, Tristan Rowe.
“As one of the first UK coastal harbours to retail HVO, we’re helping establish the market for lower-carbon marine fuels – which gives customers a practical choice to reduce their environmental impact at a considered and reasonable cost.”
The fuel is supplied by Mitchell & Webber, whose director, Tristan Weedon, added: “HVO is a proven renewable diesel that enables vessels to reduce their lifecycle carbon footprint immediately while continuing to operate efficiently and reliably.
“We hope this marks another important step in supporting the maritime sector’s transition to lower-carbon operations using existing infrastructure.”
