Brazil has achieved a landmark in sustainable shipping after completing the country’s first refuelling of a deep-sea container vessel with ethanol, highlighting the growing role of biofuels in decarbonising global maritime transport. According to Reuters, the CMA CGM IRON, a 13,000-container vessel operated by French shipping giant CMA CGM, received approximately 650,000 litres of anhydrous ethanol during a bunkering operation at the Port of Santos, making it the first ocean-going ship to use ethanol as marine fuel in Brazil. The fuel was supplied by Brazilian sugar and ethanol merchant Copersucar, while Danish marine fuel provider Bunker One managed the refuelling operation.
The vessel is one of 12 ships in CMA CGM’s fleet equipped with tri-fuel engines capable of operating on conventional bunker fuel, methanol, or ethanol, providing greater flexibility as the shipping industry pursues lower-carbon alternatives. Brazil, the world’s second-largest ethanol producer after the United States, views the milestone as an opportunity to position its sugarcane-based ethanol industry at the centre of the global maritime energy transition. Industry leaders say the successful operation demonstrates that existing biofuel infrastructure can support international shipping while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The development comes as global shipping companies seek cleaner fuels to comply with increasingly stringent emissions targets set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Ethanol has emerged as a promising option because of its widespread availability, competitive pricing, and lower carbon intensity compared with conventional marine fuels. Brazil has also been expanding investments in renewable fuels, including sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel, reinforcing its ambition to become a leading supplier of low-carbon energy solutions.
For Brazil, the successful refuelling operation represents more than a technological milestone. Analysts say it strengthens the country’s position as a global biofuels leader while opening new export opportunities for its ethanol industry. As shipping companies accelerate efforts to reduce emissions, Brazil’s abundant renewable fuel resources could play a pivotal role in supplying cleaner marine fuels and supporting the decarbonisation of international trade.
