The Lloyd’s Register Fuel Oil Bunkering Analysis and Advisory Service (FOBAS) recorded 102, or 39.7% higher, off-spec bunker samples from international ports during the period between 1 to 14 (1H) October, when compared to 73 cases found during 1H of September.
Singapore and Rotterdam port saw the most number of off-spec cases over a variety of issues during 1H October.
Several off-spec cases at Singapore were related to pour point; pour point cases at Singapore are “not a big issue” due to local weather conditions, a source earlier told Manifold Times.
The off-spec cases occurred when 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.
The top bunker ports with reported off-spec bunker fuel cases in 1H October are as follows:
| Port | Characteristic | ISO 8217 Limit or Advised Value |
Final result | Unit |
| Singapore | Density at 15°C | 0.9908** | 0.9943 | kg/l |
| Singapore | Density at 15°C | 0.9890** | 0.9964 | kg/l |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | °C |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | °C |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | °C |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 9 | °C |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | °C |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | °C |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | °C |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | °C |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | °C |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | °C |
| Singapore | Sulphur | 0.09** | 0.12 | % Mass |
| Singapore | Water | 0.50* | 0.65 | % Volume |
| Singapore | Water | 0.50* | 1.30 | % Volume |
| Rotterdam | Pour point | 30* | 36 | °C |
| Rotterdam | Pour point | 30* | 36 | °C |
| Rotterdam | Sulphur | 0.09** | 0.13 | % Mass |
| Rotterdam | Sulphur | 0.09** | 0.12 | % Mass |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 40°C | 6.00** | 6.0 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50°C | 699.0** | 736.9 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50°C | 374.0** | 407.6 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50°C | 7.4** | 89.1 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50°C | 377.0** | 398.9 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50°C | 376.0** | 405.8 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50°C | 699.0** | 742.6 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50°C | 376.0** | 397.2 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50°C | 380.0** | 404.2 | cSt |
| Balboa | CCAI | 870* | 874 | Index |
| Balboa | Water | 0.50* | 1.10 | % Volume |
| Balboa | Water | 0.50* | 1.00 | % Volume |
| Balboa | Water | 0.50* | 1.00 | % Volume |
| Balboa | Water | 0.50* | 0.80 | % Volume |
| Balboa | Water | 0.50* | 1.10 | % Volume |
| Balboa | Water | 0.50* | 0.75 | % Volume |
| Balboa | Water | 0.50* | 1.00 | % Volume |
| Balboa | Water | 0.50* | 0.90 | % Volume |
*ISO 8217 6th edition limit
**Advised value from BDN or sample label
***Due to the statutory significance of Flash Point the 95% confidence limit is not applied
Earlier FOBAS reports on off-spec fuels and bunker alerts in 2019 have been organised in chronological order below:
Related: FOBAS: Rise in off-spec bunker samples at Malaysia ports during 1H September
Related: FOBAS: International bunker off-spec samples down 32% in 1H August
Related: FOBAS: Global off-spec bunker samples 63% up in 2H July
Related: FOBAS: International off-spec bunker cases down 6% in 1H July
Related: FOBAS: Update on contaminated fuels from St Petersburg, Russia
Related: FOBAS: High Aluminium + Silicon levels in fuels from Chennai
Related: FOBAS: 63 off-spec bunker cases identified in 2H June 2019
Related: FOBAS: International off-spec bunker cases up 9% in 1H June 2019
Related: FOBAS: Surge in bunker off-spec cases at Antwerp port during 2H May
Related: FOBAS: 16% decrease in off-specs of bunker samples in 1H May
Related: FOBAS: 69 cases of off-spec bunker cases identified in 2H April
Related: FOBAS: High Acid number and possible fuel contamination at Fujairah
Related: FOBAS: 72% increase in off-spec marine fuel cases in 2H March
Related: FOBAS: Off-spec marine fuel cases down 16% in 1H March
Related: FOBAS Alert: Low flash point residual fuels at Singapore port
Related: FOBAS: 52% increase in off-spec marine fuel cases in 2H Feb
Related: FOBAS: 48 off-specification marine fuel cases in 1H February
Related: FOBAS: 91 instances of off-spec bunker fuel cases in 2H January
Related: FOBAS Alert: Off spec sediment bunker fuel oil from Singapore
Published: 17 October, 2019
The majority of off-spec cases at Fujairah port were related to sulphur issues, says recent industry report.
ISO/PAS 23263:2019 has been published and is available to purchase from the ISO website, updates IBIA.
LNG as bunker fuel has lost its competitiveness to conventional fuels with operators of LNG vessels increasingly buying VLSFO and LSMGO, shows report.
Sector needs to work together on preventing split incentives from being the silent killer of innovation for decarbonisation, writes Founder & CEO of Silverstream Technologies.
JIP undertaken with TotalEnergies, Samsung Heavy Industries and a major Asian energy transport firm found the bunkering strategy of the vessel must be reassessed.
100% biodiesel can hold 15 to 25 times more water compared with 100% diesel fuel, according to Pierre Poitras, Technical Consultant at Conidia Bioscience.
Firm hopes to leverage partnership in Greece as a springboard to expand into neighbouring and overseas markets including Europe and China, says Robin Van Elderen, Regional Head Bunkers, Europe, Sing Fuels.
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.
