American Trucking Associations officials Jan. 14 released their American Trucking Trends 2009-2010 report, showing U.S. truck sales plummeted almost 25% from 2007 to 2008 and even further during the first nine months of 2009.

U.S. Dept. of Energy officials announced Jan. 11 that three major heavy-duty diesel engine/vehicle makers will share US$187 million in grants for a “SuperTruck” program aiming to boost fuel efficiency in the biggest Class 8 trucks while ensuring ultra-low tailpipe emissions.

General Motors India will start production of a diesel engine this year, according to a report last week from TopNews (India).

Lockheed Martin officials announced Jan. 13 that an industry team completed a key milestone in constructing the U.S. Navy’s third Littoral Combat Ship with the installation of the vessel’s two main propulsion diesel engines, built by Fairbanks-Morse.

Texas-based Hyperion Resources officials foresee a 2011 ground-breaking on the company’s proposed US$10 billion Hyperion Energy Center in Union County, .S.D.

Middle distillate prices in major world spot and futures dropped sharply last week, although retail prices (a lagging, not leading indicator) continued to rise.

Distillate prices fell in major spot and futures markets last week.

A new Hart Energy Consulting study finds that refiners with capability to produce cleaner fuels – such as Euro-4 fuel (50 parts per million sulfur maximum) or better – are more likely to show better profitability once an expected global economic recovery returns.

India’s state refiners will fail to produce sufficient Euro-3 (350 parts per million [ppm] sulfur) diesel fuel, but will comply with the same April 1 deadline for Euro-4 (50 ppm sulfur) diesel fuel in 13 “mega-cities,” according to numerous press reports last week quoting government officials.

UOP officials announced Jan. 12 that they’ve been selected for negotiation of a US$25 million grant from U.S. Dept. of Energy to build a biomass pyrolysis-oil plant in Hawaii for a “green” transportation fuel scheme.

The Shell/Saudi Aramco Sasref joint-venture refinery will commence exports of ultra-low sulfur diesel by the end of January, according to a Reuters report quoting Sasref Executive Vice President Raja Ahmad Murad Bin Raja Bahrin.

Minnesota Department of Commerce officials announced the state will waive its current mandate for 5% biodiesel (B5) blending in No. 1 diesel fuel from Jan. 15 through March 31 because of biodiesel-caused filter plugging in cold weather.

Alaska state Sens. Lesil McGuire (R) and Bill Wielechowski (D) recently announced they’ll co-sponsor new legislation this year aiming to promote construction of gas-to-liquids, coal-to-liquids and biomass-to-liquids fuels plants in the state.

Having already flown a commercial jet last fall with gas-to-liquids Fischer-Tropsch (FT) jet fuel blend, Qatar Airways now aims to develop a biomass-to-liquids FT fuel program.