Cases of excessive cat fines found within bunker fuels at Singapore decreased between the period of 15th to 30th June 2018, according to Lloyd’s Register Fuel Oil Bunkering Analysis and Advisory Service (FOBAS) data.

FOBAS’ report in the earlier fortnight recorded three cases of cat fines among bunker samples tested, while the latest noted a single case.

A Monday report from FOBAS, meanwhile, noted several tested residual fuel samples from ports in the ARA (Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp) region, bunkered against an RMK700 grade exceeding the 700 cSt limit for viscosity; viscosities of these fuels range from 730 cSt to 750 cSt.

“Operationally a higher viscosity will require an increase in temperatures to achieve the required transfer/injection viscosity,” it notes.

“The injection temperature needed for 12cSt viscosity at engine inlet for a 750cSt fuel would be 149 Deg C, compared to 148 Deg C for a 700 cSt fuel.

“Therefore with only 1 degree increase needed these slight off-sec fuels may be able to be used without issue, however in each case this should be confirmed based on the vessels individual machinery capabilities.”

The top three off-spec bunker ports for the period between 15th to 30th June 2018 are as follows:
 

Port	Characteristic		ISO 8217 Limit or Advised Value		Final result		Unit
Singapore		Aluminium + Silicon		60*		84		mg/kg
Singapore		Density at 15°C		0.9908**		0.9921		kg/l
Singapore		Pour point		0*		6		°C
Singapore		Water		0.50*		0.90		% Volume
Singapore		Water		0.50*		0.75		% Volume
Singapore		Water		0.50*		0.65		% Volume
Singapore		Water		0.50*		1.40		% Volume

 

Antwerp	Density at 15°C	0.9907**	0.9934	kg/l
Antwerp	Sulphur	0.09**	0.12	% Mass
Antwerp	Total Sediment Potential	0.10*	0.17	% Mass
Antwerp	Viscosity at 50°C	696.8**	742.0	cSt
Antwerp	Viscosity at 50°C	699.2**	746.5	cSt
Antwerp	Viscosity at 50°C	373.2**	423.4	cSt
Rotterdam	Carbon residue	18.00*	20.96	% Mass
Rotterdam	Viscosity at 50°C	693.9**	751.7	cSt
Rotterdam	Viscosity at 50°C	699.2**	734.5	cSt
Rotterdam	Viscosity at 50°C	356.0**	404.6	cSt

 

Fujairah

Aluminium + Silicon

60*

97

mg/kg

Fujairah

Ash

0.100*

0.148

% Mass

Fujairah

Water

0.50*

0.65

% Volume

Fujairah

Water

0.50*

1.35

% Volume

Kozmino

Flash point

60.0***

36.00

°C

Kozmino

MCR 10% bottom

0.30*

2.02

% Mass

Kozmino

Viscosity at 40°C

9.42**

6.1

cSt

Kozmino

Viscosity at 40°C

7.04**

7.9

cSt

Malaysia

Ash

0.100*

0.156

% Mass

Malaysia

Pour point

0*

6

°C

Malaysia

Sodium

100*

273

mg/kg

Malaysia

Water

0.50*

4.20

% Volume

Novorossiysk

Density at 15°C

0.9941**

0.9936

kg/l

Novorossiysk

Density at 15°C

0.9850**

0.9957

kg/l

Novorossiysk

Viscosity at 50°C

378.6**

686.8

cSt

Novorossiysk

Viscosity at 50°C

289.6**

404.3

cSt

Related: FOBAS: Cat fine issues continue at Singapore port
Related: FOBAS: Cat fine issues return to Singapore port
Related: Singapore: Cat fines, flash point off spec issues resolved
Related: FOBAS: Cat fines plagued Singapore off-spec bunkers in April

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 3 July, 2018