Off-specification bunkers at Singapore port were affected by excess aluminium and silicon content, also known as cat fines, between 15th and 30th April 2018, according to Lloyd’s Register Fuel Oil Bunkering Analysis and Advisory Service (FOBAS) data.
In total, the report identified 83 instances where a result was outside the 95% confidence limit of either ISO 8217:2017 test parameter.
At Singapore port, there were 21 cases of off-spec bunkers; seven of these recorded excessive cat fines.
A local source with knowledge of the matter notes recent off-spec cases have caught the eye of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).
“Quality issues for the past weeks in Singapore are widely reported and is pretty serious,” he told Manifold Times.
“I do believe MPA is looking into this. But understand from the industry this could be a thing in the past as we heard that new on spec stocks are or have arrived Singapore.
“The past two to four weeks there was lots of debunker carried out in Singapore or overseas due to these off specs.”
An industry veteran, meanwhile, points out the majority of Singapore bunker contracts are currently based on ISO 8217:2005 standards.
“The ISO 8217:2005 standard specifies a limit of 80 mg/kg for cat fines and Singapore bunker suppliers mostly guaranteed specs based on 2005,” he states.
“Taking this into consideration, the cat fine off-spec cases highlighted by FOBAS are all within spec under ISO 8217:2005 standards.”
The top three off-spec bunker ports for the period between 15th and 30th April 2018 are as follows:
| Port | Characteristic | ISO 8217 Limit or Advised Value | Final result | Unit |
| Singapore | Aluminium + Silicon | 60* | 75 | mg/kg |
| Singapore | Aluminium + Silicon | 60* | 79 | mg/kg |
| Singapore | Aluminium + Silicon | 60* | 74 | mg/kg |
| Singapore | Aluminium + Silicon | 60* | 79 | mg/kg |
| Singapore | Aluminium + Silicon | 60* | 79 | mg/kg |
| Singapore | Aluminium + Silicon | 60* | 74 | mg/kg |
| Singapore | Aluminium + Silicon | 60* | 76 | mg/kg |
| Singapore | Density at 15oC | 0.9902** | 0.9937 | kg/l |
| Singapore | Flash point | 60.0*** | 35.00 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 9 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 9 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 9 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 9 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 9 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | oC |
| Singapore | Viscosity at 50oC | 369.2** | 414.4 | cSt |
| Singapore | Viscosity at 50oC | 369.2** | 403.7 | cSt |
| Singapore | Water | 0.50* | 0.70 | % Volume |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 379.8** | 426.7 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 691.4** | 733.7 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 691.4** | 738.4 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 367.0** | 401.3 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 380.0** | 402.2 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 369.0** | 398.7 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 377.0** | 402.4 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 376.6** | 403.2 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 367.0** | 397.7 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 379.3** | 405.2 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 699.7** | 735.1 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 380.0** | 400.2 | cSt |
| Antwerp | Viscosity at 50oC | 177.0** | 204.5 | cSt |
| Antwerp | Viscosity at 50oC | 377.0** | 399.1 | cSt |
| Antwerp | Viscosity at 50oC | 691.4** | 734.8 | cSt |
| Antwerp | Viscosity at 50oC | 380.0** | 399.8 | cSt |
Related: INSIGHT: Off-spec issues reveal 'missing piece' of Singapore bunker supply chain
Published: 8 May, 2018
Captain Rahul Choudhuri, Managing Director AMEA at VPS, suggests a ban on the obsolete marine fuel quality standards of ISO 8217:2005 and 2012 which no longer apply to the shipping sector.
Clyde & Co offers several pointers to help shipowners protect themselves against problematic fuels.
Middle East Petroleum Gas Conference (MPGC) to take place on 24-25 January 2022 in Kingdom of Bahrain; more than 30 key speakers to address ten sessions.
As demand for flexible transportation of liquified CO2 increases, it becomes very apparent that those who are willing to partner with other stakeholders on CCUS projects will be rewarded in the years ahead.
There is much room for improvement and the industry could benefit from a global code of ethics, it finds.
The number of off-spec VLSFOs due to sulfur dwarfs other causes, but it doesn't seem logical to prepare a fuel that is only slightly off-spec, notes Francisco Malta.
Singapore can help less developed countries in SouthEast Asia through ‘piloting and scaling fuels and technology as well as a leading hub for green finance’, said DNV Group President and CEO Remi Eriksen.
Octamar™ Ultra HF, Octamar™ Complete, and Octamar™ F35C were found to have improved the fuel economy while reducing exhaust gas and other emissions of marine engines in a series of trials, states report.
Disposal of evidence has resulted in Singapore not being able to provide full details to the United Nationals Panel of Experts which sought information regarding the case, says Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
‘We are proud to be amongst the first to show the successful steps taken by Singapore’s bunkering ecosystem to remain forward thinking and relevant,’ Choong Sheen Mao, Director of EMF, tells Manifold Times.
‘With the launch of a common data infrastructure, Kenoil aims to continue achieving an end to end visibility and transparency on the bunker data supply chain,’ states Kenoil Managing Director.
Digitalization can help shipping achieve its decarbonization goals but only if human factors are considered enough when introducing smarter maritime operations with ‘user-friendly’ technology.
