FOBAS: Rise in off-spec bunker samples at Malaysia ports during 1H September
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by Admin

Ports in Malaysia, namely Kuala Linggi and Pasir Gudang, recorded the most off-spec bunker samples between the period of 1 to 14 (1H) September 2019, show data from the Lloyd’s Register Fuel Oil Bunkering Analysis and Advisory Service (FOBAS) on Thursday (26 September).
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.
Singapore saw a similar number of off-spec cases compared to Kuala Linggi, however they were all 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 top bunker ports with reported off-spec bunker fuel cases in 1H September are as follows:
| Port | Characteristic | ISO 8217 Limit or Advised Value |
Final result | Unit |
| 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* | 9 | °C |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | °C |
| Singapore | Sulphur | 0.09** | 0.15 | % Mass |
| Singapore | Water | 0.50* | 0.90 | % Volume |
| Kuala Linggi | Ash | 0.100* | 0.338 | % Mass |
| Kuala Linggi | Ash | 0.100* | 0.130 | % Mass |
| Kuala Linggi | Density at 15°C | 0.9901** | 0.9928 | kg/l |
| Kuala Linggi | Flash point | 60.0*** | 49.00 | °C |
| Kuala Linggi | Sodium | 100* | 418 | mg/kg |
| Kuala Linggi | ULO | Detected | Detected | – |
| Kuala Linggi | Vanadium | 350* | 488 | mg/kg |
| Kuala Linggi | Viscosity at 50°C | 380.0** | 887.9 | cSt |
| Pasir Gudang | Ash | 0.100* | 0.211 | % Mass |
| Pasir Gudang | Flash point | 60.0*** | 56.00 | °C |
| Pasir Gudang | Sodium | 100* | 419 | mg/kg |
| Pasir Gudang | Water | 0.50* | 4.75 | % 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: 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: 30 September, 2019