Bunker Fuel

Fuelre4m: Why fuel-to-thrust efficiency is the missing metric in maritime

CEO Rob Mortimer says without understanding exactly how much of the fuel burned actually turns into propulsion, operators are flying blind on efficiency and emissions.

Published

11 months ago

August 25, 2025

Admin

The maritime sector’s longstanding reliance on Specific Fuel Oil Consumption (SFOC) and manufacturer power curves to measure fuel efficiency is increasingly coming under fire for masking real performance as well as real inefficiencies at sea, according to Rob Mortimer, CEO of Fuelre4m, on Tuesday (19 August).

These legacy metrics, rooted in idealised factory conditions and theoretical assumptions, fail to capture the complexities of actual vessel operation. This results in an industry managing appearances rather than actual fuel-to-thrust efficiency, risking misguided investment, compliance, and sustainability decisions.

SFOC figures are calculated based on engine output assumptions rather than direct measurement, using static power curves provided by engine OEMs that do not account for fuel quality variations or operational wear and tear. This creates a closed loop where neither engine nor fuel inefficiencies are visible, preventing operators and stakeholders from accurately benchmarking performance.

In practice, engine load is inferred from RPM without adjusting for real-world variables, leading to misleading emissions and fuel consumption reports and a false sense of compliance with increasingly stringent ESG and regulatory targets.

Fuel is the largest operational cost for shipowners. Flawed efficiency metrics risk skewing decisions on fuel procurement, vessel upgrades, and alternative fuel investments. Moreover, regulators’ growing emphasis on carbon intensity and emissions trading hinges on incomplete data, exposing companies to compliance risk and accusations of greenwashing.

Shipping must adopt direct measurement tools — including torque sensors and shaft power meters — to quantify real mechanical output. Fuel quality must be validated with precise calorific values, enabling accurate tracking of fuel-to-thrust conversion efficiency across different fuel types.

Updating reporting frameworks to reflect these realities will enable the industry to expose underperforming fuels, hold suppliers accountable, and align cost and emissions targets with actual performance — not outdated assumptions.

Mortimer commented: “Fuel efficiency reporting in shipping has long been shackled by legacy metrics that paint a misleading picture. The industry needs to move beyond theoretical models and assumptions to embrace real-world measurement. Without understanding exactly how much of the fuel burned actually turns into propulsion, operators are flying blind on efficiency and emissions. It’s time for transparency and precision if we are serious about sustainability and operational excellence.”

Mortimer is urging the industry to demand greater transparency and accurate measurement, as this is essential for shipping to credibly tackle its economic and environmental challenges in the decade ahead.

Photo credit: Fuelre4m
Published: 25 August, 2025

Biofuel

South Korea: S-Oil launches B30-VLSFO bio bunker fuel supply

Company says it has established an integrated operating system in the Ulsan region covering the entire value chain, from feedstock procurement and blending to supply.

Published

4 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

South Korea: S-Oil launches B30-VLSFO bio bunker fuel supply

South Korean petroleum and refining company S-Oil on Wednesday (22 July) said it has started supplying B30 very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), as the company seeks to support shipping’s decarbonisation efforts and growing demand for lower-carbon bunker fuels.

The company said its B30 VLSFO contains 30% sustainable biofuel blended with conventional VLSFO and can be used without requiring modifications to existing vessels, enabling shipowners to comply more readily with emissions regulations from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Union (EU).

S-Oil said it has established an integrated operating system in the Ulsan region covering the entire value chain, from feedstock procurement and blending to supply. The system combines VLSFO produced at its Onsan refinery with biofuel production facilities and storage infrastructure in the Ulsan region, allowing the entire process to be carried out within a single logistics hub.

According to the company, the integrated supply chain reduces transportation requirements during production while improving supply efficiency and reliability.

S-Oil also highlighted Ulsan Port as a strategic location for marine biofuel supply, noting the port has strong demand for bio-bunker fuels, particularly from car carriers, enabling prompt and stable deliveries to key customers.

An S-Oil official stated: “In the bio-marine fuel market, not only product quality but also securing a stable supply of raw materials and an efficient supply system are important competitive advantages.

“Based on our existing bunkering business capabilities and the excellent supply infrastructure in the Onsan area, we plan to supply stable and competitive low-carbon fuel.”

Photo credit: S-Oil
Published: 23 July, 2026

Bunker Fuel

Panama bunker fuel sales drops by 10.7% on year in June 2026

Total bunker sales at Panama was 385,100 metric tonnes (mt) in June 2026, compared to sales of 431,147 mt during the similar period in 2025.

Published

4 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

Bunker fuel sales at Panama dropped by 11% in June 2026, according to the latest data from La Autoridad Maritima de Panama, also known as the Panama Maritime Authority (PMA).

Total bunker sales at Panama was 385,100 metric tonnes (mt) in June 2026, compared to sales of 431,147 mt during the similar period in 2025.

In June 2026, the Pacific side of Panama posted bunker sales of 311,400 mt; 185,483 mt of VLSFO, 94,997 mt of RMG 380, 2,722 mt for marine gas oil (MGO), and 28,198 mt of low sulphur marine gas oil (LSMGO) were delivered.

The similar region saw total marine sales of 349,996 mt a year before in June; with VLSFO sales at 206,144 mt, RMG 380 sales at 109,432 mt, MGO sales at 3,043 mt, and 31,377 mt of LSMGO being sold.

Panama’s Atlantic side, meanwhile, recorded total bunker fuel sales of 73,700 during June 2026; the figure comprised 62,169 mt of VLSFO, 382 mt of RMG 380, 3,039 mt of MGO, and 8,110 mt of LSMGO.

It saw total sales of 81,151 mt in June a year before; with VLSFO sales of 60,932 mt, RMG 380 sales of 8,335 mt, 2,935 mt of MGO, and LSMGO sales of 8,949 mt.

Photo credit: jhernandezb05 from Pixabay
Published: 23 July, 2026

Bunker Fuel

Antwerp-Bruges biofuel bunker sales drops 36% on year in Q2 2026, LNG down 13.4%

Biofuel recorded 26,833 mt in Q2 2026 with 41,939 mt recorded in the same period the year before while port data showed 76,513 mt of LNG being delivered in Q2 2026, down from 88,328 mt.

Published

4 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges recently published bunker fuel sales data for the second quarter (Q2) of 2026.

Total bunker sales at the port was 2.05 million metric tonnes (mt) in Q2 2026, compared to sales of 1.99 million mt (+3%) during the similar period in 2025.

Deliveries of ultra low sulphur fuel oil, very low sulphur fuel oil, high sulphur fuel oil and marine gas oil in Q2 2026 (against on year) recorded respectively 164,987 mt (+43.6% from 114,917 mt), 537,926 mt (+12.8% from 476,746 mt), 659,182 mt (+11.6% from 590,544 mt) and 366,329 (-15.7% from 434,766 mt).

Biofuel recorded 26,833 mt in Q2 2026 with 41,939 mt (-36%) recorded in the same period the year before.

Port data showed 76,513 mt of liquefied natural gas (LNG) being delivered as a marine fuel in Q2 2026, down by 13.4% from 88,328 mt in Q2 2025. Meanwhile, there has been no deliveries of methanol at the port for the year so far.

Photo credit: Port of Antwerp-Bruges
Published: 23 July, 2026