A new report from the Oil Companies International Maritime Forum (OCIMF) shows that speed reduction on diesel-powered ships can be among the fastest and cheapest ways to cut bunker fuel consumption and consequently carbon -dioxide (CO2) emissions – unless cargo business declines as a result.

Wärtsilä announced July 14 that it won a contract from Graig Group for 26 new-generation “Marlin 2000 Blue” container feeder ships to be built at the Jin Hai shipyard complex in China.

Hino announced July 13 that its 2011 and 2012 line of class 4 and 5 cabover trucks and class 6 and 7 conventional trucks powered by its “J-Series” diesel engines in the U.S. are now approved to use up to B20 (20%) biodiesel blend – but only if the biodiesel blendstock meets ASTM D6751 standards and the fuel blender meets BQ9000 quality standards.

Following the launch of its first diesel-electric “3008 Hybrid4” car later this summer, Peugeot on July 11 announced that it will start selling a “508 RXH” diesel-electric luxury car in spring 2012.

MAN CEO Georg Pachta-Reyhofen announced at the Commercial Vehicle Symposium of the VDA (German Association of the Automotive Industry) in Berlin July 11 that his company sees diesel-electric hybrid trucks making far more commercial inroads than pure electric trucks for long-haul operations.

Weifang-based Xinde Technology announced that it has sold more than 1,000 units of its 6CT/6LT diesel engine since introduction in May 2010, in a head-to-head competition with a similar Dongfeng Cummins diesel engine for the local China market.

Volvo announced July 14 that its adding the option of an engine powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) to its “VNM” daycab truck targeting port drayage, pickup-and-delivery, grocery and beverage hauling applications.

The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) latest monthly Oil Market Report (released July 13) finds that 2011 global oil demand growth likely will inch-up another 200,000 barrels/day (b/d) over IEA’s last estimate, to 89.5 million b/d, up 1.2 million b/d from 2010.

The U.S. Coast Guard on July 11 issued a safety alert warning ocean ship operators about the risk of diesel engine shutdowns when switching from conventional heavy fuel oil (HFO) to lower-sulfur marine gasoil (MGO) or marine diesel oil (MDO) as required under California Air Resources Board (CARB) regulations.

Intertek and Baker Hughes jointly announced July 14 that they’re expanding their global alliance on petroleum cargo fuel testing and treatment additive services for the world’s petroleum industry.

Neste Oil announced July 14 that it will reduce the proportion of crude palm oil feedstock while boosting the proportion of jatropha and camelina oil feedstocks for its all-hydrocarbon “NExBTL” renewable diesel fuel.

U.S. and Barbados-based BioJet International told Hart Energy on July 13 that it has nabbed several customers from its offer earlier this month to sell bio-based jet fuel for US$2.97/gallon.

The government of India is facing the likelihood of paying state-owned refiner-marketers an extra subsidy of roughly Rs 300 billion (US$8.6 billion) in fiscal 2011-2012 because prior government subsidies won’t be enough to cover staggering losses on price-controlled sales of diesel, kerosene and LPG.

Ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) prices in major spot and futures markets continued upward last week on relatively healthy demand combined with reports that sales of “strategic” stocks from International Energy Agency member countries have now fizzled out.