CMA CGM, a global company operating in maritime, land, air transport, and logistics solutions; Copersucar, a global leader in the sugar and ethanol sector; Bunker One, a subsidiary of the Danish group Bunker Holding, a global leader in marine fuel trading; and the Port Authority of Santos (APS) announce the start of regular ethanol bunkering operations for ships at the Port of Santos.
The first operation occurred this week, on October 19th, with the bunkering of the CMA CGM IRON, a 13,000 TEU container ship equipped with the world's first tri-fuel engine certified to operate with ethanol: the Everllence-B&W G95ME-C10.5-LGIM.
This operation marks the transition from a pioneering experiment to a regular ethanol supply model, positioning the Port of Santos and Brazil as important hubs for low-carbon fuel supply. New bunkering operations for CMA CGM vessels with ethanol supplied by Copersucar are planned until the end of this year.
"After the first operation in July, we are now moving into a new phase, demonstrating that ethanol can be incorporated into maritime operations safely, reliably, and on a commercial scale. This initiative reinforces CMA CGM's commitment to accelerating the adoption of lower carbon intensity solutions and supporting the development of new energy ecosystems for the maritime sector," says Giovani Grassi, CEO of CMA CGM do Brasil.
The ethanol supplied by Copersucar has a consolidated and certified production chain. The expansion of sugarcane cultivation primarily occurs on degraded pasture areas, while the RenovaBio program establishes strict sustainability and zero deforestation criteria.
The market opportunity reinforces the potential of this initiative. Global demand for marine fuels exceeds 270 billion liters per year. Considering the energy equivalence between fuels, replacing just 10% of this consumption could represent an additional potential market of approximately 50 billion liters of ethanol per year.
"This is a milestone for ethanol and for navigation: it inaugurates the world's first green maritime bunkering corridor with ethanol and opens a new global destination market for the fuel. With this initiative, Copersucar enables the use of ethanol in a regular commercial operation, connecting Brazil's productive and logistical capacity to the international demand for decarbonization. It is the beginning of a new frontier of growth for the sector, with a renewable solution that already combines availability, scale, and competitiveness to advance in maritime transport," highlights Tomás Manzano, president of Copersucar.
Bunkering operations involve the coordinated action of different partners, connecting the stages of fuel production, transport, storage, and supply. The ethanol produced by Copersucar's associated mills is supplied and transported to the Port of Santos by Evolua Etanol, a Copersucar Ecosystem company, where it is stored by AGEO Terminais. From this structure, the logistics chain makes the biofuel available for ship bunkering.
For the bunkering stage, which takes place at the Santos Brasil terminal, Bunker One created a pioneering protocol in Latin America, after months of study and specific team training, taking into account the low flash point of this fuel.
For Antônio Carlos Sepúlveda, CEO of Santos Brasil, hosting this type of operation at Tecon Santos reinforces the company's commitment to the sustainable development of logistics in the country. "We have been working strongly to reduce the carbon footprint of our operations and our clients. Contributing to the energy transition of navigation is also part of this agenda," he says.
"Brazil has known the potential of ethanol for decades. Now, we are bringing this experience to international navigation, combining Brazilian production capacity with Bunker One's experience and global coverage. By leading this initiative, the Port of Santos positions itself as a strategic destination for shipowners seeking to reduce their emissions, while other markets are still advancing in the regulation of this type of bunkering," states Flavio Ribeiro, CEO of Bunker One LatAm.
According to the president of the Port Authority of Santos (APS), Anderson Pomini, "APS and all partners involved in this operation have made history in global navigation and international maritime trade, a sector that accounts for more than 90% of the planet's commercial transactions, by becoming protagonists in the supply of ships with ethanol. This is a definitive step towards a new era of sustainable development. We are very happy and fulfilled."
The prospects for expanding this market are also related to the evolution of the maritime fleet. Currently, according to Det Norske Veritas (DNV), 159 vessels already operate with methanol-ready engines, which can use ethanol, and more than 450 new ships with this technology are expected to be delivered by 2030, which should rapidly expand the potential market for ethanol.
