A project to track compliance within the European Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECAs) has led to researchers at Gothenburg-based Chalmers University of Technology identifying several trends.
Overall, research data have shown 87 to 98% of ships complying with the 0.10% sulphur limit SECA regulation introduced in northern Europe from 2015.
“We can see differences in how the regulations are followed depending on who owns the vessels,” says Johan Mellqvist, professor of optical remote sensing, head of the research project at Chalmers.
While the vast majority of the ships comply with the regulations, a few shipping companies seem repeatedly to use non-compliant fuel, he observes.
“Other patterns we can see are that vessels that only rarely come into these waters break the rules more frequently.
“In addition, it’s more common that vessels emit excessive sulphur as they are leaving the SECA rather than on the way in, when they risk an on-board inspection. Some ships that have installed abatement technique for sulphur, so called scrubbers, have been observed with high levels on multiple occasions.”
Aerial surveys showed 13% of vessels in the western part of the English Channel, near the SECA border, in violation of the sulphur regulations in September 2016. For vessels around Denmark, the corresponding figure is 6 to 8%, depending on time period.
Fixed measuring stations on the approach to Gothenburg, installed on the Oresund Bridge and the Great Belt Bridge show between 2 to 5% of bypassing ships using non-compliant fuel. This can be compared to on-board inspections showing non-compliance rates of around 5% of the vessels at Gothenburg port.
Data from Gothenburg indicate some ships may be changing to compliant fuels too late (when entering the SECA) or changing to non-compliant fuels too early (when leaving the SECA), while aiming at compliance at the fixed stations where they expect to be observed.
“There is a strong financial incentive for shipping companies to continue using the prohibited high-sulphur fuel,” explains Mellqvist.
“For example, they can save around 100,000 euros by using the cheaper, high-sulphur fuel on a single round trip between the UK and Sankt Petersburg. The entirety of this journey lies within the SECA.”
Photo credit: Chalmers University of Technology
Published: 23 March, 2018
In the last two weeks FOBAS has tested samples from Antwerp which had TSP results exceeding the ISO 8217 specification limit of 0.10% m/m.
Fuels with high sediments can result in excessive sludge deposition in tanks, leading to blocked filters.
China’s bonded bunker fuel sales dropped by about 0.15 million (mln) mt to 1.55 mln mt in May due to lower demand for the product, JLC data showed.
Total number of scrubber-fitted ships reached 785 units of 6.95 million teu at end June and it since increased to 816 ships and 7.10 Mteu.
The number of cases was a 34% drop from the figure seen a month ago in the second half of March.
‘The mismatch in requirements between buyers and suppliers is growing,’ says Shell LNG Outlook for 2018 report.
‘Bunker barges operate in very local areas so these vessels call at port very often which means it will be a good fit for women with families,’ states Elpi Petraki, President of WISTA International.
“Our Singapore branch is under preparation and is expected to start business at the republic before June 2023,” Managing Director Darcy Wong tells bunkering publication Manifold Times in an interview.
Development to supply B35 biodiesel blend officially takes effect on 1 February; local bunker suppliers will be able to deliver updated spec within March onwards, once current stocks of B30 avails run out.
VPS, Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, Wilhelmsen Ship Management, and INTERTANKO executives offered a multitude of perspectives to 73 attendees during the VPS Biofuels Seminar, reports Manifold Times.
Headway will launch a new fuel supply system suitable for alternative bunker fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia; to focus on procurement and construction of carbon capture systems in 2023 following R&D.
Competition for FAME from aviation and road transportation sectors have resulted in some shipowners resorting to adopt more readily available CNSL blends as biofuel for vessels, explains Steve Bee.
