Maersk completed the first US bunkering of a vessel with 100% bioethanol in Houston. The fuel came from POET, with Kirby Corporation handling transport and bunkering and the Port of Houston coordinating port infrastructure. The US Coast Guard supported regulatory requirements. The trial is part of Maersk's testing of bioethanol across its dual-fuel fleet. POET says it produces over 3 billion gallons of bioethanol annually across 35 plants and argues existing infrastructure could support wider maritime use. Maersk describes bioethanol as a scalable, lower-emission option for shipping. The test matters because shipping needs fuel alternatives that can scale without entirely new supply chains. Whether bioethanol can deliver depends on production volumes, emissions accounting, and competition from road transport and other buyers.
