ABL Maritime Market Briefing: Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) in Decarbonising Specialist vessels

Watch ABL's maritime market for May 2026, exploring the topic of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) - a type of bio-fuel - as an alternative fuel potential to support decarbonising specialist vessels. Introduction to the briefing: Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is considered a practical transitional fuel to support near‑term decarbonisation of specialist and research vessels while fully zero‑emission solutions continue to mature. Driven by tightening IMO emissions targets, the maritime sector faces a clear gap between regulatory ambition and the technical and commercial readiness of zero‑emission vessels. HVO helps bridge this gap by offering a renewable, drop‑in diesel fuel that can be used in existing marine engines with minimal or no modification. HVO delivers strong technical performance, including high cetane number, good cold‑flow properties, and reduced local pollutants compared with marine gas oil. Operational experience shows broad compatibility, with only minor maintenance considerations. Key constraints include higher costs, limited global availability, immature bunkering infrastructure, and sustainability concerns linked to feedstock choice. From an insurance perspective, HVO is regarded as a low‑risk fuel with a hazard profile similar to conventional marine distillates. Overall, HVO enables immediate emissions reductions without locking operators into higher‑risk or immature propulsion technologies. Watch the briefing to learn the following: The drivers of maritime decarbonisation. Why fully zero-emission vessels are not yet universally viable. What hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is. The technical, operational and environmental performance of HVO. How how the use of HVO affects marine insurance risk profiles. #abl #ship #ablgroup #energyandoceans #marinesurvey #marineengineer #marineengineering #biofuelproduction #biofuels #biofuel #maritime #sustainability #sustainableshipping #alterantivefuels #netzero #IMO2050 #NetZeroFramework #MaritimeDecarbonisation