The vessels selected—Apia Chief and Tonga Chief, which operate on the Pacific Weekly Express service, and Kokopo Chief, servicing routes between Singapore and East Timor—will begin fueling with a B24 biofuel blend. Derived from waste-based sources, this blend offers a lower-emissions alternative to conventional marine fuels.
The company plans a phased increase to B30, following a successful trial in August 2024 that confirmed the operational viability of biofuels across its fleet.
These South Pacific routes connect key trade hubs including Southeast Asia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Fiji, Dili, Darwin, and Surabaya. With shipping emissions under increasing scrutiny, Swire’s move is designed to give cargo owners and logistics partners more control over their downstream Scope 3 emissions.
The rollout of Swire’s biofuel program is backed by internal and external partnerships that prioritize sustainability and operational feasibility. Central to the initiative is Swire Group’s collaboration with its sister company, Argent Energy, a specialist in waste-based biodiesel. Their combined expertise has been instrumental in preparing the vessels and fuel blends for real-world use.
Additionally, the company is working alongside BP in Singapore to explore new feedstocks and expand access to renewable marine fuels in the region. These collaborations are intended to position Swire not as a lone actor but as part of a broader network advancing sustainable shipping.
As part of the launch, Swire is also introducing a carbon reduction initiative called Voyage to Zero. This opt-in program allows cargo owners to quantify and claim verified emission reductions from shipments made using biofuel-powered vessels. These third-party verified savings can support corporate sustainability reporting and help meet internal climate targets.
Swire projects that the initial impact of the program will be equivalent to removing around 2,700 passenger vehicles from the road annually.
