New biofuel developed by Sterling Fuels for marine and other transport from vegetable oil

Sterling Fuels, based in Windsor, Ontario, has broadened the types of fuel it provides the maritime industry by successfully developing a new biofuel. The biofuel primarily created from the vegetable oil recycled from fast food restaurants offers an interim solution to the maritime industry on the way to becoming a net-zero carbon emitter by 2050.

Through a collaboration with Canada Clean Fuels, the biofuel was supplied to Green Marine participant Canada Steamship Lines (CSL) to try as a pilot project last year on eight of its 16 vessels navigating the Great Lakes and it performed without issue. The new fuel mixture obtained at Sterling Fuels’ facilities in Hamilton, Ontario, permits a large cargo ship to travel to the farthest reaches of the Great Lakes and return to the city’s port with a single tank.

After successfully providing 17 million litres (4.49 million gallons) of biofuel to CSL last year, Sterling Fuels is now looking at possibly expanding its use beyond shipping to other means of transport, such as city buses or garbage pickup trucks.