A Lloyd’s Register Fuel Oil Bunkering Analysis and Advisory Service (FOBAS) report tracking off-spec cases of bunker fuel highlighted the highest number of cases at Singapore from 15 to 31 January.
FOBAS recorded eight off-spec bunker cases at Singapore during the two-week period; six were off-spec due to pour point for marine gas oil (MGO) product as per ISO 8217:2017 standards.
“Under ISO 8217 standards, these six cases are indeed considered off-spec,” a source with knowledge of the matter told Manifold Times.
“However, this is not really a serious matter in the Singapore market as guaranteeing zero pour for MGO is not practised here due to our weather though this is the case for markets such as China and Korea due to winter.”
Interestingly, three out of four off-spec cases at Fujairah relate to sulphur issues. The sulphur content found in these cases were more than the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulated 3.50%.
“The Fujairah sulphur and carbon off-spec cases raise the question whether the port will be ready or not coming 2020,” said the source.
“This could originate from a bad cargo as test results are quite similar from the few cases.”
With exception of Fujairah, the top three off-spec bunker ports for the period from 15 to 31 January are as follows:
| Port | Characteristic | ISO 8217 Limit or Advised Value | Final result | Unit |
| Singapore | MCR 10% bottom | 0.30* | 0.64 | % Mass |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 9 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | oC |
| Singapore | Pour point | 0* | 6 | oC |
| Singapore | Viscosity at 50oC | 360.2** | 411.6 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Cetane index | 40** | 37 | Index |
| Rotterdam | Density at 15oC | 0.9910** | 0.9920 | kg/l |
| Rotterdam | Sulphur | 0.09** | 0.13 | % Mass |
| Rotterdam | Total Sediment Potential | 0.10* | 0.19 | % Mass |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 699.8** | 750.7 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 377.0** | 399.4 | cSt |
| Rotterdam | Viscosity at 50oC | 698.8** | 735.6 | cSt |
| Malaysia | Aluminium + Silicon | 60* | 75 | mg/kg |
| Malaysia | Ash | 0.100* | 0.130 | % Mass |
| Malaysia | Pour point | 0* | 6 | oC |
| Malaysia | Sodium | 100* | 189 | mg/kg |
| Malaysia | Water | 0.50* | 2.76 | % Volume |
| Fujairah | Carbon residue | 18.00* | 19.13 | % Mass |
| Fujairah | Sulphur | 3.48** | 3.83 | % Mass |
| Fujairah | Sulphur | 3.48** | 3.78 | % Mass |
| Fujairah | Sulphur | 3.48** | 3.80 | % Mass |
Published: 7 February, 2018
Some conventional fuel quality tests have struggled to provide sufficient guidance to ship operators since the introduction of VLSFOs, shares Infineum experts.
Study by Ricardo Energy & Environment mapped existing standards, regulations and calculation methods and tools, with Well-to-Tank and Tank-to-Wake emissions.
Liquefied methane from both fossil and non-fossil sources provides a large part of the fuel mix at 2050.
Interestingly, we found a number of stems with high supplier coverage and response rate yet with sizeable over-payments beyond the ENGINE benchmark pricing, said Integr8 Fuels.
Analysis based on 14 million barrels of VLSFO fuel across 28 batches was carried out using FuelTrust’s AI-powered Digital Chemist, it says.
Technical update consolidates client experience and industry feedback from sea trial findings on NOx emissions when using biofuels as a bunker fuel.
Cash of SGD 4.43 million and USD 243,100, and one piece of 100-gram gold-coloured bar recovered in safe belonging to Abdul Latif Bin Ibrahim kept at Extra Space warehouse storage facility, show court documents.
Program introduces periodic assessments, mass flow metering data analysis, and regular training for relevant key personnel to better handle the MFMS to ensure a high level of continuous operational competency.
U.S. Claims Register Summary recorded a total USD 833 million claim from a total 180 creditors against O.W. Bunker USA, according to the creditor list seen by Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times.
Glencore purchased fuel through Straits Pinnacle which contracted supply from Unicious Energy. Contaminated HSFO was loaded at Khor Fakkan port and shipped to a FSU in Tanjong Pelepas, Malaysia to be further blended.
Individuals were employees of surveying companies engaged by Shell to inspect the volume of oil loaded onto the vessels which Shell supplied oil to; they allegedly accepted bribes totalling at least USD 213,000.
MPA preliminary investigations revealed that the affected marine fuel was supplied by Glencore Singapore Pte Ltd who later sold part of the same cargo to PetroChina International (Singapore) Pte Ltd.
