Viva Energy pioneers Australia’s first cruise ship biofuel trial with Royal Caribbean’s Celebrity Edge, promoting sustainable marine fuel alternatives.

Viva Energy launched an innovative trial of marine biofuel when Royal Caribbean Group’s Celebrity Edge sailed from Sydney on 5 April. The initiative marks the first commercial cruise ship in Australia to participate in this trial, serving as a testament to Viva Energy’s commitment to developing sustainable marine fuel solutions.

This trial aims to evaluate the performance and carbon reduction benefits of marine biofuel, designated as B20, which consists of 80% marine distillate and 20% locally sourced B100, primarily derived from Australian used cooking oil.

It also provides a unique opportunity to assess the performance of low-carbon fuels, supported by Viva Energy’s extended marine supply chain in Port Jackson. This supply chain, underpinned by barge assets operated in collaboration with Polaris Marine, demonstrated the operational feasibility of delivering sustainable fuels to the maritime industry.

“We are very pleased to conduct this trial with Royal Caribbean Group from our Sydney Harbour operations, a first-of-its-kind operation to deliver marine biofuel to a cruise ship in Australia,” said Richard Xin, Viva Energy’s General Manager Specialities, Marine & Defence. “Viva Energy is committed to supporting our customers in reducing their carbon footprint by introducing new fuels and innovative supply chains. While the supply of biofuel is not new internationally, this trial is a crucial step towards establishing lower-carbon marine fuels in Australia.” 

The B100 component of the biofuel was certified by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC+) scheme, which guarantees the provenance of the product, allowing customers to trace and verify its carbon emission credentials. The B100 was manufactured locally by Just Biodiesel.

Viva Energy is Australia’s leading fuel supplier to the marine industry and is proud to support the cruise sector with both conventional and sustainable fuels.

Media Enquiries:

Michael Cave
T: +61 409 647 910
E: michael.cave@vivaenergy.com.au

About Viva Energy

Viva Energy (ASX: VEA) is a leading convenience retailer, commercial services, and energy infrastructure business with a history spanning over 120 years in Australia. The Group operates a convenience and fuel network of almost 900 stores across Australia and supplies fuels and lubricants to a total network of nearly 1,500 service stations.

Viva Energy owns and operates the strategically located Geelong Refinery in Victoria, and supports a range of businesses, including bulk fuels, aviation, bitumen, marine, chemicals, polymers, and lubricants, through more than 20 terminals and 80 airports and airfields across the country. www.vivaenergy.com.au