P&O Ferries has switched its ferry Pride of Hull to permanent use of B30 biofuel on the Hull-Rotterdam route, making it the first ferry on the service to operate solely on the blend.

The move is expected to reduce lifecycle GHG emissions by about 20% compared to conventional marine fuels, the company said in a LinkedIn post on Tuesday.

Previously, the vessel had been operating on ULSFO.

Biofuel blends can be used in existing ships without requiring any major modifications, making it apt for existing fleet operators.

“We choose B30 as it’s a drop in fuel, Lauri-Ann Houlker, Fleet Sustainability Compliance Reporting Manager at P&O Ferries, said in a video interview.

“If we went down the lines of methanol or ammonia, we would need to invest heavily and take the vessel off service,” Houlker said.