B24 Biodiesel Enables New Brazil–Europe Green Shipping Corridor

Odfjell has established a green shipping corridor between Brazil and Europe, enabling vessels to complete a 5,000-nautical-mile transatlantic route using certified B24 biodiesel with significantly reduced emissions. The corridor is expected to support approximately 12 to 15 voyages per year, with each round trip lasting around 40 days.

To secure long-term fuel availability, the Port of Rio Grande has signed an offtake agreement for B24 sustainable biofuel. The initiative involves close cooperation between the ports of Antwerp-Bruges, Rotterdam and Rio Grande, which are working together to improve operational efficiency and optimize port call procedures to support corridor operations.

Odfjell CEO Harald Fotland said the project demonstrates that sustainable biofuels are a viable solution for deep-sea shipping today. Notably, the initiative is entirely industry-driven and self-funded, without any public subsidies. Efforts include coordination with ports, engagement with customers to improve vessel utilization, and collaboration with fuel suppliers to scale low-carbon fuel availability.

DNV Maritime CEO Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen added that biofuels represent a pragmatic pathway for shipping decarbonization when supported by robust certification and regulatory frameworks. The corridor builds on a 2024 memorandum of understanding between Norway and Brazil to develop a green transatlantic shipping route.