FOBAS: Surge in bunker off-spec cases at Antwerp port during 2H May
- Published
by Admin
Fifty eight off-spec marine fuel cases were identified by the Lloyd’s Register Fuel Oil Bunkering Analysis and Advisory Service (FOBAS) during the period between 15 to 31 (2H) May 2019.
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.
There was an increase in off specification marine fuel cases concerning viscosity at the Belgium port of Antwerp; the development replaces Singapore, which traditionally experiences the most number of off-spec cases due to its volume, as the top off-spec bunker port in the period of 2H May.
The top bunker ports with reported off-spec bunker fuel cases in 2H May are as follows:
| Port | Characteristic | ISO 8217 Limit or Advised Value |
Final result | Unit |
| Antwerp | Viscosity at 40°C | 4.00** | 6.06 | cSt |
| Antwerp | Viscosity at 40°C | 3.50** | 6.02 | cSt |
| Antwerp | Viscosity at 50°C | 377.0** | 401.5 | cSt |
| Antwerp | Viscosity at 50°C | 377.0** | 398.4 | cSt |
| Antwerp | Viscosity at 50°C | 377.0** | 410.2 | cSt |
| Antwerp | Viscosity at 50°C | 377.0** | 397.9 | cSt |
| Antwerp | Viscosity at 50°C | 377.0** | 401.8 | cSt |
| Antwerp | Water | 0.50* | 0.65 | % Volume |
| Singapore | Aluminium + Silicon | 60.0* | 131 | mg/kg |
| Singapore | MCR 10% bottom | 0.30* | 3.57 | % Mass |
| Singapore | Sulphur | 0.08** | 0.15 | % Mass |
| Singapore | Sulphur | 0.07** | 0.12 | % Mass |
| Singapore | Viscosity at 50°C | 376.8** | 404.6 | cSt |
| Singapore | Water | 0.50* | 2.05 | % Volume |
| Balboa | Ash | 0.100* | 0.134 | % Mass |
| Balboa | Ash | 0.100* | 0.124 | % Mass |
| Balboa | Water | 0.50* | 0.95 | % 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 have been organised in chronological order below:
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: 6 June, 2019
