F76 News

Performance, Speed, Fuel Economy & Environmental compliance all come together to form the ultimate balancing act for engine OEM’s and their customers alike. The ‘need for speed’ has been at the heart of professional fast craft operations since powerboats first overtook their bow wave and went on the plane. However, it is a hard fact of life for many professional organizations that fuel budgets are being cut. Engine manufacturers now recognize that high performance must be balanced with fuel economy and environmental compliance.

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Henry Blake refueled recently, using a 50/50 blend of petroleum F-76 and hydroprocessed renewable diesel derived from algal oil, in Everett, Wash., becoming the first Coast Guard cutter to use as the renewable diesel as part of an operational evaluation. Successful evaluation of this fuel mixture, known as 50/50 F76/HRD76, can help guide the development of alternative fuels in America, reducing the nation’s dependence on foreign oil. Developed through a partnership with the U.S. Navy, the Coast Guard Office of Energy Management was provided with 50/50 F76/HRD76 to examine the “drop in” operational feasibility of the renewable diesel in Coast Guard cutters.

The U.S. Navy successfully concluded its final alternative fuel demonstration for the year today with the Dec. 7-9 operational tests of the 50/50 algae-derived, hydro-processed algal oil and petroleum F-76 blend in a Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) amphibious transport vehicle at Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City. The tests also marked the fastest speed achieved to date by a U.S. Navy surface craft using alternative fuel blends, as LCAC 91 reached speeds the crafts maximum speed of 50 knots, Dec.