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
A total 4.14 million mt of marine fuel was sold at the world’s largest bunkering port in February 2018.
Proposed European Union emission trading system could affect bunker prices if implemented, it says.
Condition monitoring ‘key’ to solving stability issues with low sulphur marine fuel, it says.
9% of low sulphur fuel samples in the Americas analysed between 1 December to 13 January found to be off spec for issues, including engine-damaging sediment, says FOBAS.
Bunker states obligated under MARPOL Annex VI to take action against suppliers in their territory.
Total sales in August and September down by 0.2% and 13.2% on year respectively, show PMA data.
Between November 2016 and October 2017, Mr Tan falsified at least 20 invoices and submitted these invoices to UOB and OCBC, according to court documents obtained by bunkering publication Manifold Times.
‘CSM Taurus arrived in Singapore during mid-September and is currently undergoing final preparations before starting commercial operations,’ General Manager of CSM tells Manifold Times.
Criminal syndicate’s tampering with MFMs on bunker tankers Southernpec 6 and Southernpec 7 conceptualised by three masterminds and carried out by cargo officers on board, according to joint statement.
Seeks information connected to SGS COQs of Gas Oil and Marine Diesel Oil cargoes loaded on board Vinalines Glory from the Vopak Banyan Terminal in Singapore between January and February 2013.
Additional topics of bunker contamination and OCM services discussed at VPS’ Fuel Management Challenges – The Year of 2021 & Beyond webinar on 23 September; Manifold Times summarises the session.
‘The JMs have failed to discharge their duties by blindly helping the Banks mount a false case against the Defendant,’ wrote defence lawyers representing former IPP Director Dr Goh Jian Hian in court statement.
