New phase follows the pioneering operation carried out in July, through a partnership between Copersucar, CMA CGM, Bunker One, AGEO Terminais, Santos Brasil and the Santos Port Authority, and reinforces Brazil’s potential in the decarbonization of international shipping
SAO PAULO, Oct. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Copersucar, a global leader in the sugar and bioethanol sector; CMA CGM, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions; Bunker One, a subsidiary of the Danish Bunker Holding group, a global leader in bunker trading; and the Santos Port Authority (APS) announce the start of regular bioethanol bunkering operations for vessels at the Port of Santos.
Agreement signing: from left, Giovani Grassi, CEO of CMA CGM Brazil; Tomás Manzano, President of Copesucar; and Flavio Ribeiro, CEO of Bunker One LatAm.
The first operation took place this week, in October 19, with the bunkering of CMA CGM IRON, a 13,000-TEU container ship equipped with the world’s first tri-fuel engine certified to operate on bioethanol: the Everllence-B&W G95ME-C10.5-LGIM.
The operation marks the transition from a pioneering experience to a regular bioethanol supply model, positioning the Port of Santos and Brazil as one of the leading low-carbon fuel bunkering hubs. By the end of this year, an additional multiple bunkering operations of CMA CGM vessels are planned with bioethanol supplied by Copersucar.
“Following the first operation carried out in July, we are now moving into a new phase, demonstrating that bioethanol can be incorporated into maritime operations safely, reliably and on a commercial scale. This initiative reinforces CMA CGM’s commitment to accelerating the adoption of lower-carbon solutions and supporting the development of new energy ecosystems for the maritime sector”, says Giovani Grassi, CEO of CMA CGM Brazil.
The bioethanol supplied by Copersucar comes from a consolidated and certified production chain. Sugarcane cultivation expands predominantly into degraded pastureland, while the RenovaBio program establishes strict sustainability and zero-deforestation criteria.
The market opportunity reinforces the potential of this initiative. Global demand for marine fuels exceeds 270 billion liters per year. Considering the energy equivalence between fuels, replacing just 10% of this consumption could represent an additional potential market of approximately 50 billion liters of bioethanol per year.
“This initiative marks a milestone for bioethanol and the maritime sector: it establishes the world’s first green corridor for marine bioethanol bunkering and opens up a new global end market for the fuel. Through this initiative, Copersucar is enabling the use of bioethanol in regular commercial operations, connecting Brazil’s production capacity and logistics infrastructure to international demand for decarbonization. This marks the beginning of a new growth frontier for the sector, with a renewable solution that already offers the availability, scale and competitiveness needed to advance in maritime transport”, says Tomás Manzano, president of Copersucar.
The bunkering operations involve the coordinated efforts of several partners, connecting the stages of fuel production, transportation, storage and bunkering. Bioethanol produced by mills associated with Copersucar is supplied and transported to the Port of Santos by Evolua Etanol, a company that is part of the Copersucar ecosystem, where it is stored by AGEO Terminais. This logistics infrastructure enables the biofuel to be made available for ship bunkering.
At the bunkering stage, which takes place at the Santos Brasil terminal, Bunker One has developed a pioneering protocol for Latin America following months of studies and specialized team training, taking into account the fuel’s low flash point.
For Antônio Carlos Sepúlveda, CEO of Santos Brasil, hosting this type of operation at Tecon Santos reinforces the company’s commitment to the sustainable development of logistics in Brazil. “We have been working hard to reduce the carbon footprint of our operations and those of our customers. Contributing to the energy transition in the maritime sector is also part of this agenda,” he says.
“Brazil has recognized the potential of bioethanol for decades. Now, we are bringing this experience to international shipping, combining Brazil’s production capacity with Bunker One’s expertise and global reach. By leading this initiative, the Port of Santos is positioning itself as a strategic destination for shipowners seeking to reduce their emissions, while other markets are still making progress on regulations for this type of bunkering,” says Flavio Ribeiro, CEO of Bunker One LatAm.
According to Anderson Pomini, president of the Santos Port Authority (APS), “APS and all the partners involved in this operation have made history in global shipping and international maritime trade, a sector responsible for more than 90% of the world’s trade transactions, by becoming pioneers in ship bunkering with bioethanol. This is a defining step toward a new era of sustainable development. We are very happy and proud to have achieved this milestone.”
The growth prospects for this market are also linked to the evolution of the global maritime fleet. According to Det Norske Veritas (DNV), 159 vessels are already operating with methanol-ready engines that can also use bioethanol, and more than 450 new vessels equipped with this technology are expected to be delivered by 2030, which should rapidly expand the potential market for bioethanol.
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