The Lloyd’s Register Fuel Oil Bunkering Analysis and Advisory Service (FOBAS) recorded 106 instances of off-spec bunker samples from international ports during the period between 15 to 31 (2H) December 2019.
Singapore, Beverwijk, Rotterdam and Antwerp ports saw the most number of off-spec cases over a variety of issues during 2H December.
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 2H December are as follows:
| Port | Characteristic | ISO 8217 Limit or Advised Value | Final Result | Unit |
| Antwerp | Density at 15ºC | 1.0039** | 1.0039 | kg/l |
| Antwerp | Flash point | 60.0*** | 59.0 | ºC |
| Antwerp | Flash point | 60.0*** | 57.5 | ºC |
| Antwerp | Total Sediment Potential | 0.10* | 0.21 | % Mass |
| Antwerp | Viscosity at 50ºC | 483.7** | 501.6 | cSt |
| Beverwijk | Aluminum + Silicon | 60* | 193 | mg/kg |
| Beverwijk | Ash | 0.100* | 0.110 | % Mass |
| Beverwijk | CCAl | 870* | 876 | Index |
| Beverwijk | Density at 15ºC | 0.9502** | 1.0133 | kg/l |
| Beverwijk | Total Sediment Potential | 0.10* | 0.18 | % Mass |
| Rotterdam | Total Sediment Potential | 0.10* | 0.2 | % Mass |
| Rotterdam | Total Sediment Potential | 0.10* | 0.52 | % Mass |
| Rotterdam | Total Sediment Potential | 0.10* | 0.46 | % Mass |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 40ºC | 5.50** | 6.0 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50ºC | 676.4** | 750.5 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Water | 0.50* | 1.65 | % Volume |
| Singapore | Flash point | 60.0*** | 59.0 | ºC |
| Singapore | MCR 10% bottom | 0.30* | 2.92 | % Mass |
| Singapore | MCR 10% bottom | 0.30* | 4.51 | % Mass |
| 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 | Pour point | 0* | 6 | 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 | Pour point | 0* | 6 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 12 | oC |
| Singapore | Sulphur | 0.08** | 0.31 | % Mass |
| Singapore | Sulphur | 0.09** | 0.12 | % Mass |
| Singapore | Total Sediment Potential | 0.10* | 0.35 | % Mass |
| Singapore | Total Sediment Potential | 0.10* | 0.52 | % Mass |
| Singapore | Total Sediment Potential | 0.10* | 0.16 | % Mass |
| Singapore | Total Sediment Potential | 0.10* | 0.51 | % Mass |
| Singapore | Total Sediment Potential | 0.10* | 0.41 | % Mass |
| Singapore | Total Sediment Potential | 0.10* | 0.26 | % Mass |
| Singapore | Viscosity at 50ºC | 363.1** | 573.8 | cSt |
*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 Alert: Off Specification Sediment VLSFO from Singapore port
Related: FOBAS: Cat fines and Total Sediment Potential off specs at Singapore port
Related: FOBAS Alert: Off spec high sediment bunker fuels from Antwerp port
Related: FOBAS: 10% up in bunker international off-spec cases during 2H October
Related: FOBAS: Off-spec bunker samples up 40% at global ports in 1H October
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
Shipowners and marine fuel buyers can protect themselves by requesting for COQ of the purchased product directly from the bunker supplier, William Tan of Miyabi Industries tells Manifold Times.
Problems linked to the inclusion of adulterants that are of non-petroleum refining origin.
Marine fuel scrubber installation planning surged over the last six five months to include 842 vessels.
Russian natural gas exports to Europe could be something to watch as a price indicator for bunkers with Europe taking increasing volumes of US LNG supplies, says Steve Christy.
Issues with contaminated bunker supplies at Houston continue and have begun to spread worldwide.
Zero pour point for MGO doesn’t make sense for Singapore weather, says market source quoting FOBAS report.
Transferred shares of 40 subsidiaries to BVI firm after tribunal awarded claims in favour of Trinity Seatrading; YSPL has also filed a civil complaint against DNV and Liberian ship registry at Nanjing Maritime Court.
ADNOC L&S, Gulf Energy Maritime, Cockett Marine Oil, Mideast/Bahri Ship Management and VPS experts present their views on biofuel bunker hurdles at the VPS Biofuels Seminar in Dubai on 16 March.
‘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.
17 Mar 2023
