Independent bunker supplier Minerva Bunkering on Thursday (10 August) said it has expanded its Saudi Arabia Red Sea operations to serve vessels calling King Abdullah Port, having now performed the first bunker delivery ever conducted in the port. 

The firm said situated at the crossroads of global trade routes interlinking three continents, King Abdullah Port is amongst the world’s fastest growing ports where it will be supplying VLSFO, HSFO, and MGO.

Consistent with this expansion, Minerva has added a mass flow meter equipped barge, the 6,262 DwT MV Tilos, to its fleet supporting Yanbu, Jeddah, and now King Abdullah ports.

“With King Abdullah Port located in between Yanbu and Jeddah we are able to leverage our integrated Red Sea supply system to provide customers with a highly competitive total cost of bunkers, both for deliveries to vessels concurrent with cargo operations and while at anchor,” said Minerva CEO, Tyler Baron.

Manifold Times previously reported King Abdullah Port announced a strategic partnership with two providers of marine fuel supply and services: Western Fuel Supply for Petroleum Products Company Limited and Minerva Bunkering. 

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Photo credit: Minerva Bunkering
Published: 11 August, 2023

A recent survey conducted by independent Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times has found the introduction of coriolis mass flowmeters (MFMs) to have minimally affected the bunkering flowrate of equipped bunker tankers, especially when taken into the context of shipowners’ delivery requirements.

Since 1 January 2017, the local bunkering sector has been conducting MFM bunkering operations for all marine fuel oil deliveries; the programme was extended to include distillate deliveries from 1 July 2019.

Shipowner’s perspective

Major shipowners and operators were keen to share their bunkering experiences at Singapore port with Manifold Times. From the overall survey with shipowners and bunker suppliers, it seems the ideal flowrate for receiving marine fuel was around 500 metric tonnes per hour (t/h) – a standard readily met by Singapore bunker tankers.

“We conduct between 10 to 16 bunkering operations per month at Singapore port and have not experienced any significant reduction of flow rate during bunkering,” a Singapore-based top 10 international ship management source told Manifold Times.

The Director of a dry bulk shipping firm which conducts more than 80 bunkering operations at the republic per month pointed out any delays in bunkering was likely “caused more by inflexible ex-wharf supply and short supplies and congestion [at Singapore port]”.

“The flow rate is fine because within the dry bulk sector we require max rate of up to 500 t/h due to the flange/connection etc,” he stated.

A source from amongst the world’s largest container shipping lines noticed MFMs produced “no negative impact” in delivery flowrates.

“The current MFM flowrate is acceptable for bunker delivery to be completed within the vessel port stay under normal circumstance,” he said. “While having a higher flowrate may sound attractive, the corresponding higher pressure may have safety concerns.”

Bunker supplier’s perspective

Local suppliers experienced with the technical operation of MFM-equipped bunker tankers had more to add when asked if MFMs severely reduced the delivery flowrate of their barges.

A terminal source shared MFMs, including those from manufacturer Endress+Hauser, could perform at up to 1,000 t/h. However, vessel safety would be more of a concern at such a high output.

“On average, delivery throughput of 400 – 500 t/h can be easily achieved with MFMs. In any case, it’s the receiving vessel that has restrictions and they ask us to reduce our flow rate due to the arrangement of their vessel piping system,” he explained.

“Most of the time the receiving vessel cannot take the maximum flow rate given by the bunker tanker. There is nothing to do with restrictions, if any, from MFMs.”

The Director of a bunkering firm noted the importance of getting a correctly sized MFM and pipeline configuration for the bunker tanker to ensure optimal flow.

“The installation of an MFM system onboard a bunker tanker typically introduces between half to one bar of pressure into the piping system which results in a 5-10% drop in flowrate on level ground,” he noted.

“During actual operations, variables affecting flow rates include viscosity, temperature, back pressure from head, whether receiving vessels are restricting the receiving rate, and more.

“At sea, we typically encounter freeboard of between 5 to 20 metres for receiving vessels. In general, we encounter a drop of 1 bar of pressure for every 10 metres but this doesn’t stop us from ensuring throughput of between 400 – 600 t/h for clients.

“This is especially so as a good number of bunker vessels in Singapore have dual cargo pumps rated at 1,000 m³/hr driven by main engines or electric motors which ensure the flowrate of 400 – 600 t/h is easily achievable.”

The owner of another bunker supplier, on the other hand, claimed a 5-10% decrease in flowrate after installation of an MFM onboard a bunker tanker as already a “safe estimation”.

“There is no logical reason for any big drops in flowrate after installing an MFM onboard. Even if there were any drops, this could be easy compensated by increasing pressure from the pump side.”

Other bunker suppliers approached by Manifold Times highlighted their marine fuel delivery vessels had to meet SS 648:2019 - Code of practice for bunker mass flow metering; a locally developed standard which bunker tankers pass before engaging in commercial operations.

SS 648:2019 covers the requirements of bunker quantity measurement using a coriolis MFM system including governs metering system qualification, installation, testing, procedures, and documentation for bunker custody transfer.

“Suggesting the installation of coriolis MFMs onboard to have affected the bunkering flowrate of equipped bunker tankers is not entirely accurate and without context,” noted the Director of a top Singapore bunkering firm.

“Each MFM has a QMax (i.e., the maximum flow rate) which will depend on meter selection, the bunker tanker’s piping system, amongst other variables. Meeting this requirement and more ensures proper delivery.”

Bunker deliveries conducted within the specified minimum (Qmin), maximum (Qmax), and minimum measured quantity (MMQ) flow rates under SS 648:2019 ensures best practice for marine fuel delivery operations, added management personnel of another bunker supplier.

Metcore International

Darrick Pang, Managing Director of Singapore-based MFM system measurement solutions provider Metcore International Pte Ltd (Metcore), shared further technical details with Manifold Times.

“Introduction of any extra instrument such as a MFM within the pipeline of a bunker tanker will definitely affect flowrate but this also depends on how the system has been setup and the way the MFM is installed,” he stated.

“Any pressure drop is normal, and this can be mitigated with correct sizing of the MFM and working with meter vendors to calculate the flowrate before installation.

“Though coriolis MFMs have no mechanical parts, it is typical to experience up to a 1.0 bar pressure drop in a normal cell.

“Flowrate is very very subjective and there are many possibilities affecting it.”

Other areas affecting flowrate after installation of a MFM onboard a bunker tanker include design of its pipe system, type of pumps used, height of the receiving vessel, and more, he added.

Endress+Hauser

In summary, the situation could be best explained by Mohamed Abdenbi, Business Process Consultant, of Endress+Hauser (S.E.A.) Pte. Ltd., the Singapore branch of Swiss-based MFM manufacturer Endress+Hauser.

“We have not heard of MFM systems affecting flowrate of bunker tankers. Reason is that MFMs are sized in a way to achieve optimum condition between pressure drop and accuracy. In addition to that, the availability of different MFM sizes allows us to select the best possible meter without reducing the flow rate during bunker operation.”

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 18 July, 2023

TFG Marine, the global marine fuel supply and procurement joint venture between Trafigura Group Pte (Trafigura) and shipping firms Frontline and Golden Ocean, on Tuesday (14 March) said that its chartered barge in Malta, Endo Sirocco, was fitted with a mass flow meter (MFM) last month.

The MFM system maker is Endress+Hauser (E+H) and it was certified by Metcore International Pte Ltd (Metcore), a Singapore-based MFM system measurement solutions provider. The MFM system is also ISO22192:2021 compliant.

“It is now fully operational and serving customers in the region. The IFS Endo Sirocco is the first barge in the Mediterranean to operate in line with these certification standards, marking another milestone in TFG Marine's mission to modernise the marine fuels supply industry,” it said in a social media post.

“If you want to receive accurate, fully transparent and hassle-free deliveries on your marine fuels, get in touch with our European supply team.”

Manifold Times previously reported TFG Marine said it will extend its global footprint to commence bunkering operations in Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp waters by the end of 2020, including the introduction of MFMs on certain of its chartered barges in 2021.

TFG, at the time, supplied over 200,000 metric tonnes of marine fuels per month from vessels using MFMs as part of its Singapore operations, improving transparency and certainty for customers. TFG said its voluntary introduction of MFMs to the ARA market will extend these benefits to Europe. 

Related: TFG Marine expansion plans to include MFM on certain chartered barges in ARA region
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Photo credit: TFG Marine
Published: 15 March, 2023