The port of Constanta in Romania saw the most off-spec cases of bunker fuel between the period of 1st to 15th August 2018, according to fuel quality data provided by Lloyd’s Register Fuel Oil Bunkering Analysis and Advisory Service (FOBAS).
The report was prepared to fuel tested in accordance to ISO 8217 6th edition, as published on March 2017.
Overall, FOBAS identified 61 instances where a result was outside the 95% confidence limit of either ISO 8217 6th edition test parameter or a value given by the BDN or sample label during the first half of August.
The top bunker ports where off-spec bunker fuel cases in the period were:
| Port | Characteristic | ISO 8217 Limit or Advised Value | Final result | Unit |
| Constanta | Aluminium + Silicon | 60* | 798 | % Mass |
| Constanta | Ash | 0.070* | 1.375 | mg/kg |
| Constanta | Sodium | 100* | 317 | % Mass |
| Constanta | Total Sediment Potential | 0.10* | 2.08 | |
| Constanta | ULO | None | None | |
| Constanta | Water | 0.50* | 1.30 | % Volume |
| Mina al Ahmadi | Aluminium + Silicon | 60* | 116 | mg/kg |
| Mina al Ahmadi | Aluminium + Silicon | 60* | 110 | mg/kg |
| Mina al Ahmadi | Aluminium + Silicon | 60* | 105 | mg/kg |
| Mina al Ahmadi | Aluminium + Silicon | 60* | 85 | mg/kg |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 40°C | 6.00** | 6.1 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50°C | 357.0** | 398.0 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50°C | 19.0** | 84.3 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50°C | 363.7** | 398.5 | cSt |
| Stapleton | Aluminium + Silicon | 60* | 110 | mg/kg |
| Stapleton | Density at 15°C | 0.9899** | 0.9951 | kg/l |
| Stapleton | Density at 15°C | 0.9899** | 0.9930 | kg/l |
| Stapleton | Viscosity at 50°C | 360.0** | 422.1 | cSt |
| St Petersburg | Density at 15°C | 0.9910** | 0.9927 | kg/l |
| St Petersburg | Density at 15°C | 0.9910** | 0.9962 | kg/l |
| St Petersburg | Density at 15°C | 0.9910** | 0.9970 | kg/l |
| St Petersburg | Viscosity at 50°C | 320.0** | 511.5 | cSt |
Off-spec cases of marine fuel in accordance to ISO 8217 6th edition at Singapore port was at an all-time low between the period of 1st to 15th August 2018:
| Port | Characteristic | ISO 8217 Limit or Advised Value | Final result | Unit |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | oC |
| Singapore | Water | 0.50* | 1.00 | % Volume |
Related: FOBAS: Malaysia tops list for off-spec bunker fuel cases in 2H July
Related: FOBAS: Off-spec bunker fuel cases down at Singapore
Published: 21 August, 2018
For the first time, some sea-going vessels bunkered methanol and from the summer of 2023 sea-going vessels will arrive on a regular basis to bunker this fuel.
A series of off-spec issues regarding cat fines and low flash point hit the republic in April.
‘If emissions remain high, we’ll need to cut back even more rapidly in the future and move up the zero date to keep within our carbon budget. No one wants that,’ says spokesman.
New bunker off-spec locations, adoption of ISO 8217:2017, contamination, and more, covered at recent presentation.
Samples were all VSLFO fuels and TSP results ranged up to 0.35% m/m; ships bunkering at these ports should request additional supplier reassurance, it said.
Finds ‘Preparing Container Vessels for Conversion to Green Fuels’ report published by Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.
‘Bunker barges operate in very local areas so these vessels call at port very often which means it will be a good fit for women with families,’ states Elpi Petraki, President of WISTA International.
“Our Singapore branch is under preparation and is expected to start business at the republic before June 2023,” Managing Director Darcy Wong tells bunkering publication Manifold Times in an interview.
Development to supply B35 biodiesel blend officially takes effect on 1 February; local bunker suppliers will be able to deliver updated spec within March onwards, once current stocks of B30 avails run out.
VPS, Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, Wilhelmsen Ship Management, and INTERTANKO executives offered a multitude of perspectives to 73 attendees during the VPS Biofuels Seminar, reports Manifold Times.
Headway will launch a new fuel supply system suitable for alternative bunker fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia; to focus on procurement and construction of carbon capture systems in 2023 following R&D.
Competition for FAME from aviation and road transportation sectors have resulted in some shipowners resorting to adopt more readily available CNSL blends as biofuel for vessels, explains Steve Bee.
