The most bunker off-spec cases were recorded at Rotterdam port during the period between 1 and 14 January 2018, according to a Lloyd’s Register Fuel Oil Bunkering Analysis and Advisory Service (FOBAS) report.
It identified 62 instances where a result was outside the 95% confidence limit of either ISO:8217 (6th edition) test parameters or a value given by the bunker delivery note (BDN) or sample label.
Eight out of a total ten bunker off-spec cases recorded at Rotterdam were related to viscosity issues.
“Viscosity issues are usually a result of incorrect blending ratio,” a source with knowledge of the matter told Manifold Times.
“This happens either when the ratio of the light and heavy product was not properly calculated, or when suppliers did not test their own product before blending; thus resulting in the wrong calculation.”
The next two ports with the most bunker off-spec cases were Singapore and Zhuhai.
Details of the above off-spec cases are below:
| Port | Characteristic | ISO 8217 Limit or Advised Value | Final result | Unit |
| Rotterdam | Cetane index | 40** | 39 | Index |
| Rotterdam | Cetane index | 40** | 34 | Index |
| Rotterdam | Density at 15oC | 0.9909** | 0.9945 | kg/l |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 377.0** | 398.2 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 690.0** | 731.7 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 378.0** | 398.1 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 699.8** | 742.9 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 699.8** | 737.7 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 177.0** | 306.1 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 380.0** | 396.8 | cSt |
| Singapore | Aluminium + Silicon | 60* | 74 | mg/kg |
| Singapore | MCR 10% bottom | 0.30* | 0.64 | % Mass |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | oC |
| Singapore | Water | 0.50* | 0.90 | % Volume |
| Zhuhai | Ash | 0.070* | 0.116 | % Mass |
| Zhuhai | Flash point | 60.0*** | 35.00 | oC |
| Zhuhai | Vanadium | 150* | 442 | mg/kg |
| Zhuhai | Viscosity at 50oC | 176.0** | 204.4 | cSt |
| Zhuhai | Water | 0.50* | 1.00 | % 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.
Related: Singapore density off-spec cases not MFM related
Published: 17 January, 2018
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