Biofuel blended with very low sulphur fuel oil used on Capesize bulk carrier as part of the first sea trial resulted in 10 percent carbon emission reduction

Biofuel blended with very low sulphur fuel oil used on Capesize bulk carrier as part of the first sea trial resulted in 10 percent carbon emission reduction

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 16-Mar-2022 — /EuropaWire/ — Anglo American plc (LON: AAL), a global mining company with a portfolio that spans diamonds, platinum, copper, iron ore & more, has announced the successful completion of a sea trial using biofuel blended with very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), which resulted in reducing carbon emissions by approximately 10%. The trial further demonstrates the potential for sustainable biofuel to be used as a ‘drop-in’ fuel, improving its viability to help reduce emissions in the shipping sector. The fuel was blended and bunkered in Singapore, marking an important step in establishing a local supply chain and a cost-efficient, low-carbon biofuel offer for the region.

Peter Whitcutt, CEO of Anglo American’s Marketing business, said: “Connecting our customers with the metals and minerals they need in a way that is safe, efficient and sustainable is a key priority for us. Last year, we outlined our ambition for carbon neutral controlled ocean freight – a natural extension of our commitment to decarbonise our mining operations by 2040. This trial forms part of those efforts and will help us reduce emissions across our value chain.”

Anglo American used a blend composed of VLSFO – the industry’s most widely used conventional marine fuel – mixed with 10% second-generation biofuel originating from used cooking oil. The use of the blend resulted in a reduction of approximately 10% in carbon emissions compared to using 100% VLSFO. A functional equivalent to existing liquid fuels, this blend is compatible with existing vessel engines and requires no infrastructure modification.

This is Anglo American’s second biofuel marine trial – the first trial, conducted in June 2021, used a biodiesel blend produced by converting waste cooking oil from Singapore’s food and beverage industry and reduced carbon emissions by around 5%.

Peter added: “Our first trial demonstrated our capabilities and commitment to taking action. We have now taken those learnings and applied them to exploring how best to operationalise biofuel in a business-as-usual scenario. The transition from a distillate biofuel blend to one using VLSFO paves the way to establishing biofuel as a credible option in the future.”

The trial was conducted onboard the Seanergy Maritime-owned Capesize bulk carrier Friendship, time-chartered by Japanese shipping company NYK Line and voyage-chartered by Anglo American. The biofuel blend, provided by TotalEnergies Marine Fuels, was used to power 50% of a round-trip from Singapore to Saldanha Bay in South Africa, where a cargo of Anglo American’s iron ore was loaded.

The biofuel component of the blend met the specification requirements of the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) system, an industry leading standard covering all bio-based materials.

By increasing the percentage of biofuel in future trials, Anglo American aims to pursue further CO₂ emissions reductions as part of a broader decarbonisation framework for its chartered fleet.

Media

UK

James Wyatt-Tilby
Email: james.wyatt-tilby@angloamerican.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 8759

Marcelo Esquivel
Email: marcelo.esquivel@angloamerican.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 8891

Katie Ryall
Email: katie.ryall@angloamerican.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 8935

South Africa

Nevashnee Naicker
Email: nevashnee.naicker@angloamerican.com
Tel: +27 (0)11 638 3189

Sibusiso Tshabalala
Email: sibusiso.tshabalala@angloamerican.com
Tel: +27 (0)11 638 2175

Investors
UK
Paul Galloway
Email: paul.galloway@angloamerican.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 8718

Emma Waterworth
Email: Emma.waterworth@angloamerican.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 8574

Juliet Newth
Email: juliet.newth@angloamerican.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 8830

Michelle Jarman
Email: michelle.jarman@angloamerican.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 1494

Notes to editors:

Anglo American is a leading global mining company and our products are the essential ingredients in almost every aspect of modern life. Our portfolio of world-class competitive operations, with a broad range of future development options, provides many of the future-enabling metals and minerals for a cleaner, greener, more sustainable world and that meet the fast growing every day demands of billions of consumers. With our people at the heart of our business, we use innovative practices and the latest technologies to discover new resources and to mine, process, move and market our products to our customers – safely and sustainably.

As a responsible producer of diamonds (through De Beers), copper, platinum group metals, premium quality iron ore and metallurgical coal for steelmaking, and nickel – with crop nutrients in development – we are committed to being carbon neutral across our operations by 2040. More broadly, our Sustainable Mining Plan commits us to a series of stretching goals to ensure we work towards a healthy environment, creating thriving communities and building trust as a corporate leader. We work together with our business partners and diverse stakeholders to unlock enduring value from precious natural resources for the benefit of the communities and countries in which we operate, for society as a whole, and for our shareholders. Anglo American is re-imagining mining to improve people’s lives.

www.angloamerican.com

Forward-looking statements:

This document includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this document, including, without limitation, those regarding Anglo American’s financial position, business, acquisition and divestment strategy, dividend policy, plans and objectives of management for future operations (including development plans and objectives relating to Anglo American’s products, production forecasts and Ore Reserve and Mineral Resource positions) and environmental, social and corporate governance goals and aspirations, are forward-looking statements. By their nature, such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Anglo American or industry results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding Anglo American’s present and future business strategies and the environment in which Anglo American will operate in the future. Important factors that could cause Anglo American’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, among others, levels of actual production during any period, levels of global demand and commodity market prices, mineral resource exploration and development capabilities, recovery rates and other operational capabilities, safety, health or environmental incidents, the effects of global pandemics and outbreaks of infectious diseases, the outcome of litigation or regulatory proceedings, the availability of mining and processing equipment, the ability to produce and transport products profitably, the availability of transport infrastructure, the impact of foreign currency exchange rates on market prices and operating costs, the availability of sufficient credit, the effects of inflation, political uncertainty and economic conditions in relevant areas of the world, the actions of competitors, activities by courts, regulators and governmental authorities such as in relation to permitting or forcing closure of mines and ceasing of operations or maintenance of Anglo American’s assets and changes in taxation or safety, health, environmental or other types of regulation in the countries where Anglo American operates, conflicts over land and resource ownership rights and such other risk factors identified in Anglo American’s most recent Annual Report. Forward-looking statements should, therefore, be construed in light of such risk factors and undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this document. Anglo American expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking (except as required by applicable law, the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers, the UK Listing Rules, the Disclosure and Transparency Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority, the Listings Requirements of the securities exchange of the JSE Limited in South Africa, the SIX Swiss Exchange, the Botswana Stock Exchange and the Namibian Stock Exchange and any other applicable regulations) to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in Anglo American’s expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Nothing in this document should be interpreted to mean that future earnings per share of Anglo American will necessarily match or exceed its historical published earnings per share. Certain statistical and other information about Anglo American included in this document is sourced from publicly available third party sources. As such it has not been independently verified and presents the views of those third parties, but may not necessarily correspond to the views held by Anglo American and Anglo American expressly disclaims any responsibility for, or liability in respect of, such information.

SOURCE: Anglo American