Neste and PTL Marine join forces to promote sustainable marine fuels in California

Neste has teamed up with PTL Marine, a division of Pilot Thomas Logistics, to facilitate the distribution of Neste MY Renewable Diesel™ within the California marine sector. PTL Marine is a provider of maritime fuels, lubricants, and last-mile logistics. This collaboration aims to streamline access to renewable diesel for the state's maritime industry.

Effective January 1, 2023, California implemented the Commercial Harbor Craft (CHC) regulation, mandated by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). This regulation compels commercial harbour craft vessels operating in California to utilise renewable diesel, often referred to as R99 or R100 locally, instead of ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD). The switch is designed to mitigate emissions like particulate matter and nitrogen oxides from vessels operating in the state's ports and coastal areas. The regulation applies to the use of on-water diesel fuels within California's harbours, ports, navigable waterways, marinas, and marine navigation districts.

Carrie Song, Vice President of Renewable Road Transportation, Americas at Neste, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership with PTL Marine, emphasising the versatility of renewable diesel in heavy-duty sectors. She commended California's proactive stance in promoting the use of renewable diesel beyond road transportation to reduce emissions, particularly from older engines. Collaborating with strategic partners like PTL Marine allows Neste to make sustainable alternatives more accessible to California's marine industry.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), while ports play a crucial role in the U.S. economy, emissions resulting from fossil fuel use at ports have adverse effects on public health and the environment. CARB research reveals that renewable diesel, in comparison to fossil diesel, can lead to a reduction of up to 26.6% in fine particulate emissions and up to 11.8% in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions for harbor crafts equipped with a Tier 2 marine-certified engine.

Furthermore, renewable diesel serves as an immediate solution to cut down on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Produced from sustainably-sourced, 100% renewable materials, Neste MY Renewable Diesel reduces GHG emissions by up to 75%* over its life cycle compared to fossil diesel.

One of the significant advantages of Neste MY Renewable Diesel is its similar chemical composition to fossil diesel, allowing it to be used as a drop-in solution in all diesel-powered vessels without requiring investments in new vehicle fleets, engine modifications, or changes to fuel distribution infrastructure. It also meets all CARB requirements, including a flash point of 140ºF or higher.

With its extensive experience in supplying fuels and lubricants to marine clients, PTL Marine can efficiently deliver Neste MY Renewable Diesel using three modes of delivery: truck-to-vessel, dockside services, and barge-to-vessel. These versatile delivery options make renewable fuel easily accessible to a range of harbour craft, from small ferries to large commercial fishing vessels, as well as offshore working boats and large cargo ships.

Steven Taylor, Business Development Manager at PTL Marine, expressed satisfaction with the partnership, highlighting the company's commitment to delivering high-quality, dependable supplies of renewable diesel to their west coast customers.

Neste has been providing renewable diesel to California since 2016 and currently boasts an annual production capacity of 1.14 billion gallons (3.3 million tons) of renewable products globally. This production capacity is set to increase to 1.9 billion gallons (5.5 million tons) in early 2024, thanks to the expansion of production at Neste's refinery in Singapore and the company's joint operation with Marathon Petroleum.