1^st for a Japanese Electric Power Company: MOL Conducts Technical Trial Voyage Using Biofuel 'B30' on Coal Carrier Serving Hokuriku Electric Power

June 27, 2025

TOKYO-Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) today announced that on June 26, it refueled its operated coal carrier HOKULINK ^{(Note 1)} with biofuel at Yeosu Port in South Korea. The HOKULINK, which transports coal for Hokuriku Electric Power Company (President: Koji Matsuda; Head Office: Toyama-shi, Toyama Prefecture), then began technical trial voyages using biofuel.

The biofuel used for this refueling is ISCC-EU (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification ^{Note 2}) certified and is a blend of 30% organic resources derived from living organisms (biomass), such as waste cooking oil, and mineral oil (B30). It is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions during navigation by approximately 30% compared to conventional fossil fuels ^{(Note 3)}. This marks the first use of B30 in a technical trial navigation by a Japanese electric power company. The use of biofuels requires no modifications to conventional marine diesel engines, making them an effective alternative to fossil fuels and an effective means of reducing GHG emissions. Based on the environmental strategy in its BLUE ACTION 2035 management plan, the MOL Group will continue to proactively adopt clean fuels with the aim of decarbonizing marine transport.

In addition, the low-carbon attributes of this voyage will be tradable as certificates through the MOL Group's marine transport carbon inset program, BLUE ACTION NET-ZERO ALLIANCE.

[Outline of the vessel]
Name: HOKULINK
LOA: 234.96m
Breadth: 38m
Depth: 20.05m
Deadweight tons: 89,999 MT

Note 1: Please refer to the related press releases below.

• June 19, 2025: MOL and Japanese shipyards design Next Generation Coal carrier 'EeneX' - Contributing to Clean Energy Transport -
• December 12, 2019: MOL Orders 2 Next-generation 'EeneX' Coal Carriers - Aiming for Energy-efficient Transport Services -
• December 2, 2021: 'Kurotakisan Maru Ⅲ' Delivered - 1st Ship of Next-generation Coal Carrier 'EeneX' Series -
• May 30, 2022: Naming Ceremony for Hokulink Held - 2nd Vessel of Next-generation Coal Carrier 'EeneX' Series -

Note 2: International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) EU certification
It certifies that sustainable fuels made from biomass and waste meet EU legal requirements for sustainability and greenhouse gas emission reduction standards, as stipulated by the European Renewable Energy Directive (RED II).

Note 3: Although biofuels emit carbon dioxide (CO₂) when burned, the plants used as raw materials absorb CO₂ and reproduce biomass, so the amount of CO₂ emitted during direct combustion is considered to be effectively zero. For this reason, biofuels are attracting attention as fossil fuel alternatives that can achieve carbon neutrality.

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MOL Group 5 Sustainability Issues
MOL Group identifies "Sustainability Issues" (Materiality) as our key issues for sustainable growth with society through realization of the Group Vision.
We anticipate this initiative to contribute especially to the realization of "Environment -Conservation for Marine and global environment-".