What Types Of Fuel Do Superyachts Use?

If someone asked you what fuel is used to fill a superyacht, would you know? Are there certain superyacht fuels that are more sustainable than others? And what fuel do the professionals recommend? Let’s find out:

3 Examples of Superyacht Fuel:

Class A2 Gas Oil (10ppm)

• Meets current BS2869 and ISO 8217 standards
• Has maximum sulphur content of 10ppm (or 0.001 %)

You can get two different types of gas oil 10ppm which are:

1. FAME FREE gas oil
2. Gas oil with FAME content

The gas oil with the FAME content is biodiesel with a blend of Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) produced from plant oils.

Class D 1000ppm (1000ppm)

• Has a maximum sulfur content of 1000ppm
• Class D 1000ppm can be used in all marine applications
• Slightly cheaper than gas oil 10ppm

Green D+ HVO

• An enhancement of HVO (Hydrotreated vegetable oil)
• This fuel is renewable, biodegradable, and sustainable.
• Made from 100% renewable raw materials
• Low emission fossil-free fuel which significantly reduces NOx and CO2 levels
• Improves fuel efficiency
• More expensive than gas oil class A2 and class D … at the moment

Did You Know:

Many superyacht owners do not realise that fuel is used to power the vessel and the generator when out at sea. The generator provides guests and crew with essential services like electricity when they are on board. As a result, the number of passengers on board at any one time will impact the overall fuel consumption. 

So which Superyacht fuel is the most sustainable?

The most sustainable fuel is Green D+ HVO fuel which is renewable, biodegradable, and made from renewable raw materials. We are now seeing more inquiries for Green D+ HVO with the increased pressure for yachts to be more sustainable. Whether or not your superyacht can use this type of fuel will depend on the vessel.

And what fuel do the professionals recommend?

Regarding which is the best fuel, there’s no favourite. It all depends on each vessel. The engineers on board each yacht are very particular about the types of fuel they prefer, and they base decisions on current specs. Engineers will request quality certificates for each grade and then make their decisions based on this information.

For the latest superyacht news, go here.