UK trialing HVO on Royal Research Ships James Cook and Discovery

In the UK, the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) is trialing the use of a fossil-free marine diesel to fuel the Royal Research Ships (RRS) James Cook and Discovery. Use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), made from used vegetable oils and fats and non-food crops, is able to significantly reduce net CO2 vessel emissions, compared to conventional diesel fuel.

The trial is funded by the UK’s Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), which owns the two vessels, in support of a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) goal to achieve net zero emission operations by 2040.