Shipowner signs up for EcoTow

Following a successful pilot, Svitzer Towage has announced it is to convert its ten vessel London-based tug fleet to run on marine biofuel (see MJ January 2022). It is also offering a new towage solution called EcoTow, whereby the impact of towage operations is calculated and matched with a volume of biofuel to be delivered to the London-based tugs.

Companies now look beyond their own front door for delivery of sustainable operations. For the shipping industry, this includes service providers such as shiphandling tug operators and the EcoTow arrangement being given the opportunity for DP World-owned Unifeeder to reduce associated emissions and boost its green agenda. Initially Unifeeder will deploy EcoTow services for its vessels, requiring towage services on the River Thames equating to around 100 vessel assists annually.

There are three categories of emissions: Scope 1 from company-owned and controlled activities; Scope 2 covers indirect emissions from electricity used by the company; and Scope 3 are all other indirect emissions linked to a company’s operation, which Unifeeder says make up the majority of a company’s carbon footprint.

It is with Scope 3 where EcoTow is expected to unlock around 90% CO2 reduction through Svitzer’s use of Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) instead of Marine Fuel Oil.

Denmark-based Unifeeder has a global operation, its European customers benefiting from a multimodal door-to-door service. Its hub-and-spoke feeder operations provide a link for larger international shipping companies to connect their customers with ports and regions out of reach of large container ships. Its relevance to the sustainability of towage services is reflected in Unifeeder making almost 14,200 calls at more than 200 ports annually, its fleet of chartered shortsea and container feeder vessels currently standing at just over 50.

In the wider world, Unifeeder Group has similar operations globally including in the Mediterranean, Middle East, Indian subcontinent and Far East.

Michael Bonde, COO networks and operations at Unifeeder, said: “We are pleased that Svitzer has given us the opportunity to  improve our Scope 3 emissions and we hope this will serve as an inspiration for our other vendors and partners.”