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HVO for Seagoing Boaters

HVO is not currently available for seagoing recreational vessels through coastal suppliers and marinas in the UK.

This is because Seagoing diesel-powered recreational vessels (under 24 metres in length) are currently excluded from using HVO under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), the Government scheme which supports renewable fuels.

Seagoing recreational vessels are not eligible to use renewable fuels of a biological origin as they are in the same category as large international shipping under the RTFO, a sector which is expected to adopt alternative fuels like hydrogen and ammonia.

This Government policy has led to administrative complexities for fuel retailers selling HVO to seagoing recreational vessels and a lack of availability of HVO for the coastal market.

Take Action

To help resolve the issue, seagoing boaters are urged to engage with their MP to request the UK Government removes the barriers in the RTFO scheme.

Earlier this year, the Cruising Association and all of the members of the HVO Joint Working Group completed detailed submissions in the UK Government’s ‘Call for Evidence’ in the review of its RTFO. The submissions highlighted measures which would achieve a lower and more stable price for more boaters and increase availability by reducing the administrative complexities for fuel retailers selling HVO to seagoing recreational vessel owners.

Test and Trials

The Cruising Association’s Regulatory and Technical Services carried out a survey of Cruising Association volunteers to gather information of how typical cruising vessels use their engines. The findings supported the fact that any decarbonised propulsion method must support the range and power needed for safe cruising, and have the appropriate refuelling and recharging infrastructure.

 

 

User Stories

Machiel Lambooij, owner of a Botnia Targa, a 46 ft planning motorboat (built in 2020), reports on his experience of finding and using HVO in European waters.  The boat has two Volvo Penta D6 engines, 440 HP each.

To read the full story, go to: Machiel Lambooij: A Journey Towards HVO: Cruising Dec 2024 HVO experience

“Because HVO100 is now available at our own marina, we took on some 800 litres to top up the tanks before overwintering. We did an inland water trip afterwards, with some stretches on the IJsselmeer at planing speeds. It is too early to come to any conclusions on fuel consumption or performance, but so far, we have not seen any negative influence of taking on HVO instead of regular diesel.  For clarity, the tanks were not empty when we fuelled up with HVO, so in fact the engines have not yet run on HVO only (HVO100 mixed with regular diesel becomes probably HVO60, in our case).”

“We have decided that we will now take HVO100 where available and consider the current price differential acceptable, hoping it will go further down.”

 

 

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