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SIBCON 2020: VPS proposes mandate of latest bunker fuel quality standards for Singapore market

Captain Rahul Choudhuri, Managing Director AMEA at VPS, suggests a ban on the obsolete marine fuel quality standards of ISO 8217:2005 and 2012 which no longer apply to the shipping sector.

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International fuel testing and inspection firm Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) has made a proposal to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) to mandate the use of ISO 8217:2017 bunker fuel specification for marine fuel deliveries at the republic.

Captain Rahul Choudhuri, Managing Director AMEA at VPS, made the proposal during the live session of SIBCON Deep Dive: Future Bunker Markets – Supply Side Synergies in Ensuring Compatible and Compliant Fuels on Wednesday (7 October).

In his presentation, Captain Choudhuri notes 30% of VPS’ shipowner clients to be still using the “obsolete” 2005 version of the ISO 8217 marine fuel standard; 60% uses the 2012 version; while 10% has moved on to adopt the 2017 version –the latest specification for marine fuels.

“The point I want to make is that every time these fuel quality standards are revised, it is actually a technical revision,” he said while referring the latest ISO 8217:2017 standard includes tests for VLSFO cold flow properties and FAME in distillate marine fuels.

“But if the industry is not going to use this standard, I think we are in a really tough spot,” he adds.

“Starting yesterday at Sibcon, Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat is already saying we have to keep up with changes in the business. But here, we’re not keeping up with the pace of change so I think something more needs to happen.

“And I propose at Sibcon in Singapore, where I live and work, that I think MPA (Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore) has some sort of regulatory muscle to actually do something more and perhaps even look at banning these old bunker fuel quality standards which actually don’t apply anymore.”

To date, marine fuel quality issues still persists, says Captain Choudhuri. He highlights about 7% of bunkers tested by VPS globally are found to be off specification and VPS has released 37 bunker alerts across 12 countries this year – an all-time high.

“We have heard a lot about fuel quality issues which primarily are issues with stability for VLSFOs and they are caused by high sediment, waxing of fuels, or chemical contamination; there could be a sort of a mix here,” he shared.

“Additionally, I would like to mention the Singapore Shipping Association this year has done two surveys with their members and found issues with VLSFO fuel stability causing sludging or filter clogging.”

He advised shipowners to look at marine fuel management in a holistic manner and perform tests for additional parameters such as Wax Appearance Temperature and Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) to detect fuel contamination for managing fuel stability.

Moving forward, Captain Choudhuri believes the Covid-19 pandemic has enhanced the role of bunker surveyors as a mediator and verifier of bunkering operations due to disruption of the receiving vessel to bunker tanker interface.

Shipowners will still need a surveyor representative to be present on the bunker tanker to oversee the mass flowmeter, delivery operation and handling of disputes; especially when 20% of bunkering deliveries do not follow proper sampling documentation without surveyors.

He further shares a VPS surveyor has found 500 metric tonnes (mt) of undeclared bunker fuel within a vessel in an inspection a few months earlier.

“So, I think the role of the surveyor should not be underestimated; in fact, it has sort of enhanced during the pandemic. In its entirety, surveyors play a key role in in putting keeping a lid on malpractice, any malpractice, during a bunkering operation.”

A series of SIBCON 2020 related articles have been earlier written by Manifold Times:

Related: SIBCON 2020: Equatorial Marine Fuels provides view on local and global bunker markets post Covid-19
Related: SIBCON 2020: BIMCO Chief Shipping Analyst explains new business dynamics in bunker fuels sector
RelatedChairman of Technical Committee for Bunkering explains SS 660, TR 80; and cast an eye to the future
RelatedSIBCON 2020: TR 48 reaps annual savings of at least SGD 80 million for bunkering sector
RelatedSIBCON 2020: Singapore introduces new MFM bunkering standards SS 660 and TR 80
RelatedSIBCON 2020: Powering Fuels of the Future, Driving towards Decarbonisation
Related: SIBCON 2020: Senior Minister highlights ‘quality resilience and sustainability’ for bunkering sector
RelatedInfineum explains: ISO 8217:2017 should be viewed as a ‘minimum performance benchmark’ for VLSFOs
RelatedInterview: Hafnia shares IMO 2020 preparations, promotes transparency for bunkering operations
RelatedVPS: Shipowners face ‘tricky situation’ to balance VLSFO shelf life and wax appearance temperature
RelatedVPS: Big data analysis reveals link between Covid-19 and spike in low flashpoint MGO off-spec cases
RelatedInterview: Total Marine Fuels Global Solutions discusses sector growth, IMO 2020, and future plans
RelatedSIBCON 2020: Evolution to a ‘completely different’ bunkering industry event, says organiser
RelatedSingapore: SIBCON 2020 bunkering event to be hosted virtually

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 7 October, 2020

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Milestone

Singapore retains ranking as world’s top maritime centre for 12th consecutive year

Finds report jointly published by the Baltic Exchange and China’s Xinhua News Agency.

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Singapore bunker tankers and sky

Singapore on Friday (11 July) said it has retained its ranking as the world’s top maritime centre, marking the 12th consecutive year it has led the Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Centre Development (ISCD) Index.

Jointly published by the Baltic Exchange and China’s Xinhua News Agency, the Xinhua-Baltic ISCD Index provides an independent benchmarking of the world’s leading maritime hubs.

It evaluates factors such as cargo throughput, port infrastructure, maritime services (including finance, law and shipbroking), and the overall business environment.

The index is closely monitored by shipping lines, port investors, and maritime service providers to track market competitiveness, and inform investment location and service development decisions.

Singapore retained its top position among 43 maritime cities and regions, underpinned by its consistent performance as one of the world’s busiest transhipment and bunkering hubs, and a well-established ecosystem of professional maritime services and expertise.

In 2024, Singapore handled 41.12 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in container throughput – a record high – and saw total vessel arrival tonnage exceed 3 billion gross tons. The Port of Singapore also remains the world’s largest bunkering port, having supplied 54.92 million tonnes of marine fuel in 2024.

Home to more than 200 international shipping groups and a growing number of maritime technology start-ups, Singapore continues to strengthen its position as a global node for maritime innovation and enterprise.

This growing industry base is also creating new career pathways in areas such as port operations, digital systems management, automation, maritime law, and sustainability – as the sector transforms to meet the needs of a more digital and decarbonised future.

“We thank our industry partners, the research and enterprise community, and our unions who have been instrumental in Singapore’s journey to become a leading international maritime centre and global hub port,” said Ang Wee Keong, Chief Executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.

“We will continue to build on this momentum by innovating and investing in digitalisation, green technologies, and workforce development to strengthen Singapore’s position as a trusted and future-ready international maritime centre.”

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 14 July 2025

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Research

ICCT policy brief explores benefits of global 0.10% sulphur cap on marine fuels

Studies have found ships using scrubbers with heavy fuel oil emit more particulate matter and black carbon emissions than those using marine gas oil.

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ICCT sulphur policy brief

The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) on Tuesday (8 July) introduced a policy brief examining how further reducing the global maximum allowable fuel sulphur content of bunker fuel from 0.5% to 0.1% could affect air pollution emissions and premature mortality from fine particulate matter (PM2.5).

Currently, ships must adhere to a global 0.5% fuel sulphur limit and a 0.1% limit in ECAs, unless they use scrubbers. However, studies have found that ships using scrubbers with heavy fuel oil emit more particulate matter and black carbon emissions than those using marine gas oil.

The brief considered three compliance pathways:

  1. Scrubber Max scenario in which ships that use very-low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) switch to high-sulfur heavy fuel oil (HFO) with scrubbers to comply;
  2. Scrubber Allowed scenario in which ships that use VLSFO switch to marine gas oil (MGO) to comply;
  3. Distillate Only scenario in which scrubbers are not allowed and ships that use HFO and scrubbers or VLSFO switch to MGO to comply.

In summary, the research found that relative to a baseline scenario based on 2023 ship activity data, reducing the sulphur content of marine fuels to comply with a 0.1% sulphur limit would:

  • Mitigate air pollution. Across the three compliance scenarios, shipping-attributable sulfur oxide emissions are estimated to fall by 75%–85%, PM2.5 by 46%–66%, and black carbon by 27%–41%. The scenario prohibiting scrubbers yields the highest estimated emission reductions.
  • Reduce premature deaths. The three compliance scenarios avoid between 3,900 and 4,500 premature deaths annually, with the most significant reductions achieved when scrubbers are not allowed.
  • Deliver substantial economic benefits. Health-related economic benefits are estimated to range from $9.3 billion to $10.9 billion annually, depending on the compliance pathway.
  • Incentivize cleaner fuels. A global 0.1% sulfur standard that promotes distillate fuel use would increase baseline fossil fuel costs and reduce the price gap between conventional and zero or near-zero greenhouse gas emission fuels.

The complete policy brief Health and air pollution benefits of a global 0.1% fuel sulfur limit  on marine fuels can be obtained from the link here.

 

Photo credit: International Council on Clean Transportation
Published: 9 July 2025

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Research

Integr8 Fuels report shares comprehensive analysis of Mediterranean ECA

Data reveals a market in rapid transition, confirming some industry predictions while uncovering new, emerging risks for ship operators.

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Integr8 Fuels trading intelligence (July 2025)

International bunker trading firm Integr8 Fuels on Monday (7 July) shared its new report ‘Mediterranean ECA: Immediate Operational and Commercial Impact of Implementation’ which provides the first comprehensive analysis of the rule’s effects on fuel quality and regional availability.

The data reveals a market in rapid transition, confirming some industry predictions while uncovering new, emerging risks for ship operators. The following key findings include:

  1. Dramatic Supply Shift Confirmed: VLSFO Availability Contracts Sharply. VLSFO’s share of the Mediterranean fuel market has plummeted from over 60% in December to just 37.5% in May. In parallel, the number of ports supplying VLSFO has fallen by 47%, creating new logistical challenges for vessels that continue to use the grade.
  2. VLSFO Instability Spikes as Supply Chain Adapts. Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) off specification rates more than doubled from 1.5% in December to 3.8% in May. Critically, one in four (25%) of these off-specs were for total sediment potential (TSP), indicating a rising risk of sludge formation that can damage engines. This trend appears linked to extended in-tank storage and the consolidation of older fuel stocks as demand slows and suppliers pivot away from VLSFO.
  3. Persistent Flash Point Risks in Key LSMGO Hubs. Flash point non-conformance has increased significantly and now accounts for over two-thirds of all LSMGO off specs. Our data shows this is not a random problem, with over 75% of all flash point incidents concentrated in Spain, Turkey, and Italy, signalling a persistent potential for SOLAS violations in core supply zones.

Note: The full report may be obtained from Integr8 Fuels here.

 

Photo credit: Integr8 Fuels
Published: 8 July 2025

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