Ocean Carrier Biofuels Bill

The Clean Fuels Alliance, alongside agriculture and maritime industry groups, is praising the introduction of the bipartisan renewable fuel for ocean-going vessels. Act. The legislation seeks to expand renewable fuel use in the maritime sector. Kurt Kovarik, Vice President of Federal Affairs for the Clean Fuels Alliance.

“Under the current renewable fuel standard that was passed in 2005 and extended in 2007 there's a specific exclusion for fuels that go into oceangoing vessels from being essentially utilized to meet the requirement under the RFS. So if a biofuels producer produces the fuel and sells it to someone who wants to put it in a ocean going vessel. They're required to retire the RIN in essence, it acts as a disincentive for fuels to go into that market.”

Kovarik points out that biomass diesel emits, on average, 70% less than petroleum based diesel, seen as a very viable, economically achievable alternative to the bunker fuels that are used in ocean going so what we have facilitated is a piece of legislation on the Hill in the House and Senate introduced that would essentially fix the statutory exclusion and allow fuels that are sold into this market to generate that RIN so that It includes, you know, the addition of that financial incentive.”

Kurt Kovarik with a Clean Fuels Alliance.