Sulnox Group plc ("Sulnox") is pleased to announce the signing of its largest commercial agreement to date with Eastern Pacific Shipping ("EPS"), one of the world's largest privately owned shipping companies.
The new four-year agreement will significantly expand deployment of Sulnox Eco™ across the EPS fleet, increasing usage from approximately 30 vessels to more than 50 vessels. The agreement covers the supply of approximately 1.2 million litres of Sulnox Eco over the contract term and is accompanied by an increase in EPS Ventures' strategic investment in Sulnox.
The agreement follows more than two years of operational deployment and validation across a range of vessel types, including container ships, bulk carriers, tankers and vehicle carriers. During this period, EPS reported fuel savings of between 3% and 5%, alongside reductions in visible black smoke emissions, cleaner engine conditions, lower sludge generation and improved fuel performance.
The expanded commitment represents a significant commercial milestone for Sulnox and provides further validation of Sulnox Eco's performance in real-world operations across a diverse global fleet.
With a history spanning more than 60 years, EPS manages a fleet of more than 350 vessels across the container, tanker, dry bulk, gas and vehicle carrier sectors and has a global workforce of approximately 8,000. The company is widely recognised for its commitment to operational excellence, innovation and decarbonisation.
Since commencing its partnership with Sulnox, EPS has steadily expanded deployment of Sulnox Eco across its fleet and supported a range of technical validation initiatives. Among these was independent testing commissioned by EPS, which demonstrated lubricity improvements of between 20% and 23% in Low Sulphur Marine Gas Oil (LSMGO). The results provided additional evidence of Sulnox Eco's ability to address lubricity challenges associated with lower-sulphur fuels while supporting engine protection and operational reliability.
As biofuel adoption continues to accelerate across the shipping industry, EPS has also reported positive results from the use of Sulnox Eco alongside biofuel blends. Operational experience and independent testing have indicated benefits relating to fuel stability, lubricity and engine cleanliness, helping support reliable vessel operations while optimising fuel performance. The wider fleet deployment will include newbuilds, reflecting confidence in Sulnox Eco's ability to deliver operational benefits across both existing and newly delivered vessels.
The agreement also strengthens the strategic collaboration between the two companies. EPS will continue to support Sulnox’s research, development and validation programmes through operational testing and real-world deployment. Areas of collaboration are expected to include fuel efficiency optimisation, emissions reduction, biofuel performance and other technologies designed to support the maritime industry's decarbonisation efforts.
Alongside the supply agreement, EPS Ventures will increase its strategic investment in Sulnox through the subscription of additional shares under the agreement. Subject to the relevant conditions being met, EPS Ventures' shareholding is expected to increase from approximately 6.5% to 13.9%. The increased investment further aligns the interests of both organisations and reflects EPS's confidence in Sulnox's technology, commercial potential and long-term relevance to the maritime sector.
Ben Richardson, CEO of Sulnox, commented:
"EPS has already proven to be much more than a customer. Its operational validation, technical expertise and industry introductions have helped accelerate our commercial development and strengthen our position within the global shipping sector. Moving from a successful evaluation programme and initial deployment to a major long-term agreement and increased shareholding endorses the value Sulnox Eco continues to deliver in real-world operations. We look forward to continuing to work closely with EPS as we expand adoption across the maritime sector and develop the next generation of efficiency and decarbonisation technologies."
Sachin Saharawat, Technical Director, EPS, said:
“Improving efficiency and reducing emissions remain key priorities for EPS. Over the past two years, Sulnox Eco has demonstrated measurable benefits across multiple vessel types, fuel applications and operating environments. Across different vessel segments and fuel types, we have observed consistent improvements in fuel performance, engine cleanliness and operational efficiency.
The technology has been straightforward to deploy, and the results have remained consistent throughout our evaluation and operational use. Those outcomes, combined with ease of deployment, have supported our decision to expand use across the fleet on a long-term basis. The expanded deployment reflects our confidence in the results achieved to date and our belief that practical, scalable technologies such as Sulnox Eco can play an important role in helping the shipping industry improve efficiency and support its decarbonisation ambitions.”
