Lloyd’s Register Fuel Oil Bunkering Analysis and Advisory Service (FOBAS) on Friday (17 January) released a bulletin highlighting several VLSFO fuel samples from UK ports, Belfast and Fishguard were found to have Total Sediment Potential (TSP) exceeding the ISO8217 specification limit of 0.10% m/m:

In recent days, FOBAS has tested several samples from UK ports, Belfast and Fishguard with Total Sediment Potential (TSP) results exceeding the ISO8217 specification limit of 0.10% m/m. The samples were all VSLFO fuels and TSP results ranged from 0.22% m/m to 0.29% m/m. Extended analysis indicated these results were due mainly to extraneous dirt.

Fuels with high sediments can result in excessive sludge deposition in tanks and throughout the handling and treatment/fuel injection systems. Furthermore, in certain cases the attempted use of such fuels may result in highly compromised combustion leading to engine and turbocharger damage.

In addition to the above, fuels containing a high amount of extraneous dirt can result in heavy loading on

purifiers which can lower the purifier plant efficiency with respect to removing harmful contaminants such as aluminium, silicon, and / or water. Purifiers should be monitored and operational adjustments made as necessary.

In view of the above, if your ships are planning to bunker in these ports, we recommend that suppliers are advised of your concerns regarding the stability of the fuel in the area, and that they provide you with additional reassurance that they will adhere to the ISO 8217 requirements for the grade ordered.

Additional attention should be given to the collection of bunker samples. It should be ensured that all parties have witnessed the sampling process and have signed witness forms accordingly, and that the supporting documentation includes records of all the samples considered representative of the fuel as loaded.

Photo credit: Louis Reed from Unsplash
Published: 20 January, 2025

The introduction of the ISO 8217:2024 specification has brought renewed focus on viscosity limits, with a significant proportion of VLSFOs currently failing to meet the updated standards, according to Integr8 Fuels on Tuesday (14 January). 

This was based on the firm’s latest Bunker Quality Trends report, offering insights into the evolving landscape of marine fuels. Drawing on comprehensive data from over 130 million metric tons (mt) of deliveries, the report provides an in-depth analysis of critical quality issues, regulatory implications, and market trends.

“Data from the report shows that over 45% of global VLSFO supply would not meet the RM380 2024 specification without adjustments to blend recipes,” it said.

“These changes could lead to a spike in problematic fuels, as was observed during the IMO 2020 transition, potentially affecting fuel stability and other critical parameters.”

Regions like Singapore and Houston are flagged as hotspots for adjustments, with over two-thirds of VLSFO in Singapore requiring reformulation. 

“Buyers are urged to adapt charterparty wording to ensure suppliers comply with the latest standards to reduce the risk of critical handling issues,” Integr8 Fuels said.

Other key developments highlighted in the report are:

The Smart Way to Meet Compliance Targets: Plan Biofuel Bunkering on a Fleet or Pool Level

When it comes to compliance with environmental regulations, FuelEU Maritime doesn’t specify a fixed biofuel percentage. The focus is on reducing the greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity across a vessel’s voyages over the course of a calendar year. The target is a 2% reduction in GHG intensity between two EU ports, which translates to around 3% biofuel blended with VLSFO or HSFO, or 2% biofuel with MGO. 

However, it’s more efficient to take larger biofuel quantities on select vessels and transfer compliance surpluses across your fleet or between ships in multiple fleets, which is also known as pooling. The most common biofuel grades stocked by suppliers are B24 and B30 blends, and pure B100. Their availability varies by port and region. Shipowners are advised to carefully manage their biofuel strategies and check the GHG intensity figures in Proof of Sustainability documents provided by suppliers.

Barge Bottlenecks: The Sulphur Compliance Challenge in Southern Europe

Sulphur compliance for VLSFO remains a pressing concern, with 2.4% of supplies exceeding the 95% confidence limits for ISO 8217 Table 2 parameters in the past six months. Geographical variances are significant, with higher non-compliance risks reported in bunker hubs such as Rotterdam and Balboa compared to Singapore. Infrastructure constraints, including the practice of switching between HSFO and VLSFO on the same barges, are identified as contributing factors. The report underscores the importance of data- driven procurement and robust supplier practices to mitigate these risks.

Rising Automotive Fuel Blends Are Driving Flash Point Risks in the Med

The integration of automotive diesel into bunkering pools has led to heightened risks of flash point non-compliance, particularly in the Mediterranean. Automotive fuels often have a minimum flash point of 55°C, below the 60°C threshold mandated for marine fuels under SOLAS regulations. The report identifies specific ports where these risks are most prevalent and calls for enhanced due diligence when purchasing in regions reliant on automotive diesel imports. Ensuring DMA specifications are met is critical to avoiding costly compliance breaches.

Biofuels and LNG: Key Players in the Future of Fuel Compliance

The report highlights the growing role of biofuels and LNG as transitional solutions for meeting stringent emissions regulations, such as FuelEU Maritime and the upcoming Mediterranean Emission Control Area (Med ECA). While LNG remains a reliable option due to its consistent quality and negligible SOx emissions, biofuels are gaining momentum as suppliers expand blending capabilities globally. 

The report cautions buyers about potential operational risks, such as biofuel-related cold flow challenges in colder climates and the limited availability of LNG bunker vessels. The introduction of the Med ECA from 1 May 2025 will likely boost LNG bunker demand in the region, however, the delivery of LNG bunker vessels is failing to keep up with growing demand, tightening the LNG supply chain.

Note: The full Bunker Quality Trends Report Q1 2025 by Integr8 can be found here.

Photo credit: Integr8 Fuels
Published: 15 January, 2025

Marine environmental services and fuel testing solutions company CTI-Maritec on Wednesday (8 January) shared on why one of the most important testing parameters or properties of bio-marine fuel is energy content.

Owing to the composition of bio-marine fuels, the accurate measurement of Net Specific Energy (NSE) / Net Heat of Combustion to correctly gauge energy content of bio-marine fuels is key for efficient fuel management onboard ships: 

Introduction

Bio-marine fuel is widely adopted as a drop-in fuel to achieve the current emission requirements in the shipping industry. ISO 8217:2024 specification allows bio-marine fuels to contain up to 100% fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). The major production route of FAME is transesterification of vegetable oils, animal fats or used cooking oils with methanol using alkaline catalysts. The ISO 8217:2024 version has included additional test parameters to measure FAME content, energy content and oxidation stability for bio-marine fuels.

Accurate Net Specific Energy (NSE) assists with efficient fuel consumption management

In this newsletter article, we review why one of the most important testing parameter or property of bio-marine fuel is Energy Content. Accurate measurement of NSE for energy content of bio-marine fuels is essential for efficient fuel management onboard ships with respect to:

• Fuel consumption
• Voyage planning
• Operating cost
• Machineries or equipment performance
• Emission & environmental implications

Why accurate testing of Energy Content is an essential test parameter for Bio-marine fuel

Marine fuel containing FAME typically has lower energy content compared to conventional marine fuels.

The heating value of a fuel is the total energy released as heat when a fuel undergoes complete combustion with oxygen under standard conditions. The chemical reaction is typically a hydrocarbon reacting with oxygen to form carbon dioxide, water and heat as shown in the equation below:

Hydrocarbon + Oxygen à Carbon Dioxide + Water + Heat Released

Conventionally, NSE of marine fuels (which consist of predominantly hydrocarbons from petroleum sources) is calculated using a formula specified in Annex of ISO 8217 (Annex J of ISO 8217:2024) with acceptable accuracy. For marine fuels containing FAME, the NSE cannot be calculated using the formula specified in Annex J of ISO 8217:2024 and shall be measured using ASTM D240 method. FAME molecules contain the Carbonyl group and Ester bonds as shown in Figure 1 below and do not consist purely of carbon and hydrogen atoms.

Figure 1: An Ester of a Carboxylic Acid

The density of potential energy of a hydrocarbon is determined by the number of carbon to hydrogen bonds that can be replaced by oxygen to carbon (CO2) and oxygen to hydrogen bonds (H2O), in other words, the amount of energy released is dependent on the oxidation state of the carbons in the hydrocarbon. For marine fuel containing FAME, the FAME molecule itself contains oxygen atoms in the Carbonyl group and Ester bond. The Ester group of FAME has a carbon forming 3 bonds with oxygen atoms, this means esters are more oxidised than hydrocarbons and esters release less energy content when compared to hydrocarbon since higher oxidation reactions are needed for hydrocarbons.

The paragraphs above explain the reasons marine fuel containing FAME typically have lower energy content compared to conventional marine fuels, which consist of predominantly hydrocarbons and the calculated formula for NSE is not applicable to marine fuel containing FAME.

According to ASTM D240 test method, heat of combustion is determined by burning a weighed sample in an oxygen bomb calorimeter under controlled conditions. The heat of combustion is computed from temperature observations before, during, and after combustion, with proper allowance for thermochemical and heat transfer corrections. The average of gross specific energy (GSE) or gross heat of combustion, and NSE or net heat of combustion of MGO, VLSFO, HSFO and Bio-marine Fuels are tabulated in Table 1 below:

Note: The average GSE and NSE for each of the fuel types was obtained from at least 50 samples.

Based on Table 1, bio-marine fuel B30 has 8% lower energy content when compared to MGO. The energy content of bio-marine fuel will become lower when the FAME content is higher.

Energy content of marine fuel containing FAME shall be determined by ASTM D240 method and cannot be calculated using the current NSE formula, which is commonly used for the conventional marine fuels.

Note: The full article by CTI-Maritec can be found here. 

Photo credit: Louis Reed from Unsplash
Published: 9 January, 2025