Danish Shipping Giant Norden Completes World-First Voyage Using Carbon-Negative Biofuel
Danish shipping giant Norden is making waves in the maritime industry by completing a historic voyage from Singapore to Brazil using biofuel derived from a carbon-negative process. This groundbreaking achievement marks a significant step towards sustainable shipping practices and reducing carbon emissions in the sector.
During the voyage, a Norden vessel utilized a fuel blend containing 20% MASH Makes biofuel in its auxiliary engine, totaling 65 tonnes of the innovative fuel. MASH Makes biofuel is produced through a unique process of heating agricultural residues at high temperatures without oxygen, resulting in bio-oil that meets ISO8217 standard fossil fuel specifications.
Henrik Røjel, Norden’s head of decarbonisation and climate solutions, expressed his excitement about the successful trial, stating, “This trial proves that MASH Makes’ biofuel is suitable for marine engines, and it marks an important milestone towards integrating the fuel into our operations.”
An independent climate impact report conducted by Boundless Impact highlighted the environmental benefits of MASH Makes biofuel production. The process was found to be carbon negative, with the co-produced biochar contributing to permanent carbon sequestration in sustainable agriculture practices.
For every tonne of biofuel produced, MASH Makes generates 1.8 tonnes of biochar, which can lock 3.14 tonnes of CO₂ from the atmosphere into the soil. This unique approach establishes a direct link between fuel production and carbon removal, with each tonne of MASH biofuel associated with 5.7 tonnes of CO₂ sequestered permanently in the ground.
MASH Makes CEO Jakob Bejbro Andersen emphasized the scalability and compatibility of their biofuel with existing marine engines, stating, “Our biofuel meets the technical requirements of the shipping industry and can be used in unmodified engines. It’s a seamless, scalable alternative ready to cut emissions today.”
The production of MASH Makes biofuel is carried out through pyrolysis at a facility in Karnataka, India, processing 23,700 tonnes of agricultural waste annually to produce 3,400 tonnes of bio-oil and biochar. A second plant currently under construction aims to triple production capacity, with the long-term goal of removing a gigatonne of CO₂ by 2040.