River Thames to slash carbon footprint thanks to a new green floating fuel station

A new collaboration between the biggest commercial vessel operator on the Thames, GPS Marine and Green Biofuels, the UK’s leading provider of clean advanced fuel GreenD+, will help reduce London’s carbon emissions, improve local air quality, and boost the Thames’ drive to clean up and reduce pollution.

GPS Marine and Green Biofuels commenced their partnership last year, by fuelling with GreenD+ the Thames Tideway Tug pulling barges to one of London’s largest construction projects: the new ‘Super Sewer’.  This week their new fuel bunker barge, the ‘Dispenser’ will not only be refuelling the tug delivering tunnel lining ring segments for the Thames Tideway Central Section, but also a growing number of other commercial vessels on and around the Thames.  The Dispenser will supply GreenD+,  which is the lowest emission diesel fuel available on the river.  Consequently, cleaner fuels used by river vessels can replace HGVs on London roads and deliver a huge reduction in emissions and boost air quality. 

The Dispenser, a refurbished barge, will become London’s premier green floating fuel station and will help make an annual carbon emissions saving equivalent to 3,861 tonnes of CO2e. Green Biofuels has worked in conjunction with GPS Marine and Stolthaven Terminal to allow the Dispenser to load directly from the terminal to the river, removing the need for on-road delivery tankers in the supply chain to fuel river vessels.  

GPS Marine’s fleet of tugs, barges and multi-purpose vessels is the largest on the Thames. GPS Marine is fully committed to green energy and is transitioning its entire Thames based fleet of 12 tugs to running on Green D+, which will continue cutting carbon emissions on the Thames and improve local air quality. 

Independent tests at the Millbrook specialist vehicle testing facility have shown that compared to standard diesel emissions, Green D+ has up to an 85% reduction in particulates, and up to a 30% reduction in Nitrogen Oxides, thanks to a special additive not found in any other HVO fuel.

In further independent trials with Red Funnel Ferries in 2018, switching from Marine Gas to Green D+ resulted in significant emissions reductions of up to 30% NOx and 70% of total particulate matter.

Commenting on the benefits of using Green D+ , Darren White, Head of Sustainability, Tideway said:  “Going electric or hydrogen is cost prohibitive at the moment.  GREEND+ is the right solution for Tideway right now.” 

John Spencer, CEO of GPS Marine, added: “We are both proud and excited to be working with the passionate team at Green Biofuels. Using GreenD+, we don’t have to wait for government policy or intervention, we can make a difference right now. 

“By using GREEND+, we dramatically improve the sustainability and overall CO2e savings benefits with little or no effect on reliability or cost effectiveness.

“Not only do we want to see a cleaner and greener Thames, but removing the need for on-road fuel delivery vehicles also helps to clean London’s air. After moving our entire Thames based fleet to a drop-in advanced fuel, we hope to set an example for other fleets to take environmental responsibility into their own hands – and put words into action.”

Commenting on the launch of the GPS Dispenser, Magnus Hammick, COO of Green Biofuels said: “GPS Marine are backing up their commitment to reducing air pollution and carbon emissions on the Thames with real action, and that deserves celebrating. We’re very proud to be partnered with one of London’s foremost river operators in helping them achieve their environmental goals, and becoming aligned with the aims of the PLA (Port of London Authority) to achieve Net Zero for the river too.”