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The Lab: Why bunker fuel oil analysis is more important than ever

Bunkers which are compliant with ISO 8217, may in fact contain contaminants, which can result in significant operational difficulties, including engine damage.

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The Lab, the independent laboratory facility opened by leading multi-disciplinary technical and scientific consultancy Brookes Bell, on Tuesday (9 August) released an article elaborating the greater importance of bunker fuel analysis today following a surge in bunker fuel quality issues in recent months: 

With rising fuel costs, supply chain disruptions resulting from the war in Ukraine, and the entry onto the market of sanction-breaking oil, fuel quality issues are becoming an increasing concern for vessel owners and operators. It’s an issue we’ve seen firsthand here at The Lab. As a result, bunker fuel oil analysis is becoming more important than ever.

The rise of bunker fuel oil quality issues 

It’s difficult to discern one specific reason as to why there has been a surge in bunker fuel quality issues in recent months. Certainly, the current geopolitical issues, supply chain disruptions and impacts on oil and gas producers detailed at the outset of this article won’t be helping matters.

One potential reason for the rise in bunker fuel oil quality issues could be the use of cheaper, possibly sub-standard blending components which render bunker fuel off-specification. We’ve also seen instances where insufficient clarity concerning the clauses of ISO 8217, which leads to confusion as to what levels of contaminants are ‘acceptable’.

The point is that, no matter how bunker fuel quality issues arise, the fact is that they are arising – and vessel owners and operators should be aware and prepared.

Bunker alerts

When these contaminated bunkers are identified, a bunker alert is issued by VPS – who continually monitor global fuel quality and fuel oil trends in various ports around the world.

It’s these bunker alerts which prove there has been a noticeable surge of contaminated bunkers onto the world market – with 60% more bunker alerts issued this year compared to last (note – VPS will issue a bunker alert when they have identified an off-spec parameter for three vessels within one week for the same port). 

Of the bunker alerts issued by VPS in 2022, these have covered eight different ports for nine different parameters. 

Some of these bunker alerts have been related to sizable incidents. Arguably the largest occurred in Singapore in March of this year, where chemically-contaminated bunker HSFO fuel was delivered to over 200 vessels. 

According to reports, this resulted in major operational problems for 80 vessels – which has resulted in ongoing litigation over claims for compensation.

Bunker testing and specifications

What’s perhaps most shocking about the large-scale bunker contamination outlined above, is the point that Singapore – as the world’s largest bunkering port – has rigid sample testing procedures, governed by the Singapore Code of Practice for Bunkering (SS 600).

What’s more, these testing procedures were developed by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and the Technical Committee for Bunkering under the purview of the Singapore Chemical Industry Council.

According to reports, the contamination has its roots in ‘Estonian type oil shale’ and ‘US type fracked shale oil’, with the principal contaminants being styrene and phenol.

Even more concerning, the off-spec, contaminated bunkers were not detected by the ISO 8217 testing requirements. 

This is a crucially important point for vessel owners, operators and charterers to absorb – even bunkers which are compliant with ISO 8217, may in fact contain contaminants, which can result in significant operational difficulties, including engine and other component damage.

A note on biofuels

Contaminants from poor cutter stocks or bad (or deliberate) blending practices aren’t the only thing vessel owners need to worry about. 

With an increasing volume of biofuels making their way onto the open market we are seeing a rise in cases of microbial contamination – this is because the fatty acid methyl esters in biofuels are hygroscopic, meaning they attract and absorb moisture.

Should your vessels be using biofuels then, it’s vital that the fuel system is kept as clean and dry as possible.

The consequences of bunker contamination

It’s important not to understate the potential negative consequences of taking on off-spec bunker fuel. Although it can be possible to burn off contaminated fuel, this isn’t always possible depending on the level and type of contamination.

In the worst case scenarios, taking on off-spec bunker fuel can result in asset damage, such as piston ring failure, cylinder liner damage, the deterioration of rubber seals, the accretion of solids on cylinder heads, the failure of gaskets and more. All of which can result in significant costs to remediate.

Damage to critical components can also lead to severe secondary consequences such as loss of propulsion, placing both the ship and crew at risk. This can impact on the safety of other vessels which may be navigating nearby, risking collisions and even groundings.

As you can see, what may seem like a single incident can quickly compound into several more.

It pays to take bunker contamination seriously.

What’s the solution? 

If vessel operators must treat ISO 8217 with caution, what then is the solution? 

Whilst there is talk of overhauling ISO 8217 to bring about stricter testing to identify contaminants before they pass a vessel’s manifold, as well as discussions concerning a bunker supplier licensing scheme – vessel owners and operators are advised not to wait for these developments. 

Instead, prevention should be the order of the day.

Here at The Lab we strongly recommend a proactive approach to fuel management and testing. 

We can carry out the full range of ISO 8217 Table 2 testing, supplemented by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), cleanliness and compatibility testing, and more.

 

Photo credit: The Lab at Brookes Bell
Published: 16 August, 2022

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Emissions reporting

ZeroNorth and Veracity by DNV launch end-to-end emissions reporting, verification service

New offering combines ZeroNorth’s Vessel Reporting and Emissions Analytics platform with Veracity platform and DNV’s Emissions Connect verification services to deliver an end-to-end compliance solution.

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ZeroNorth and Veracity by DNV launch end-to-end emissions reporting, verification service

Maritime technology solutions provider ZeroNorth on Friday (16 May) said it has partnered with Veracity by DNV to launch a fully integrated emissions reporting and verification service for the maritime industry. 

Teekay is the first customer that will be implementing the service across its fleet, following successful testing and development.

As regulatory requirements tighten, ZeroNorth said maritime operators face growing demands for emissions transparency and reporting integrity. At the same time, poor data quality remains an industry-wide challenge. 

“The new offering combines ZeroNorth’s Vessel Reporting and Emissions Analytics platform with the Veracity platform and DNV’s Emissions Connect verification services to deliver an end-to-end compliance solution,” the company said in a statement. 

“The offering simplifies compliance by integrating automated data reporting with expert validation, reducing administrative burdens and improving data reliability.”

A key differentiator is the multi-layered data quality feedback loop, which ensures emissions data undergoes rigorous validation at multiple stages. Verification warnings from Veracity by DNV are automatically flagged to ZeroNorth’s data quality team, which then works directly with vessel crews to resolve discrepancies before final submission to authorities. 

This reduces compliance risks and enhances regulatory confidence while supporting continuous monitoring of EU MRV, IMO DCS, CII ratings, EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime compliance.

Teekay, a long-standing customer of ZeroNorth, participated in early testing of the solution and providing operational feedback. Since its successful implementation with Teekay, the service has been rolled out to two additional customers, and further deployments are underway.

Anders Schulze, Chief Operations Officer at ZeroNorth, said: “The maritime industry faces growing pressure to ensure emissions data is not just reported, but verified to the highest standards. Yet fragmented systems and manual processes continue to undermine data quality and increase compliance risk. 

“By combining ZeroNorth’s data and analytics capabilities with Veracity by DNV’s verification expertise, we are directly addressing this challenge. Our goal is to build trust in emissions data and reduce complexity for shipowners and charterers. We’re especially pleased that Teekay, a long-time partner, played a central role in shaping and validating the service.”

Mikkel Skou, Managing Director at Veracity by DNV, said: “At Veracity by DNV, the value of our ecosystem is built on strong partnerships, exemplified by our collaboration with ZeroNorth.

“By integrating trusted data and solutions like ZeroNorth’s Vessel Reporting and Emissions Analytics platform, we create a robust network that supports collaboration and drives sustainable growth in the maritime industry. 

“We look forward to continuing working towards our ambition to deliver trust and connectivity to the industry through this partnership with ZeroNorth.”

Mikkel Seidelin, Chief Commercial Officer at Teekay, said: “Partnering with ZeroNorth improves our ability to navigate complexities seamlessly, leveraging on data and technology to optimise our performance and reduce inefficiencies.

“When we are equipped with verified, end-to-end data, it empowers us as owners towards seamless decision-making, resulting in real sustainable and operational target-achievements.”

 

Photo credit: ZeroNorth
Published: 16 May, 2025

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LNG Bunkering

Singapore: FueLNG achieves 400th LNG bunkering operation milestone

Bunker tanker “FueLNG Bellina” successfully delivered LNG bunker fuel to “BYD Shenzhen”, the world’s largest LNG-fuelled car carrier at Singapore anchorage during its maiden voyage.

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Singapore: FueLNG achieves 400th LNG bunkering operation milestone

Singapore’s licensed LNG bunker supplier FueLNG on Thursday (15 May) announced the successful completion of its 400th LNG ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering operation in the republic.

FueLNG, a joint venture between Keppel Offshore & Marine and Shell Eastern Petroleum Pte Ltd, marked the milestone with bunker tanker FueLNG Bellina successfully refuelling BYD Shenzhen, the world’s largest LNG-fuelled car carrier, at Singapore anchorage during its maiden voyage.

“With a capacity of 9,200 vehicles and equipped with dual-fuel LNG propulsion, the BYD SHENZHEN represents the next generation of low-emission maritime transport,” it said in a social media post. 

Shell said it supported BYD Shenzhen on its maiden voyage as the supplier of the LNG bunker fuel. 

“Like all LNG dual fuel vessels, BYD Shenzhen is on the pathway to net zero emissions. She can take bio-LNG, and in the future e-LNG, in her fuel mix for further emission reduction and regulatory compliance,” it said in a separate social media post. 

 

Photo credit: Shell
Published: 16 May, 2025

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Biofuel

Hong Kong: CPN hits new record for China’s largest B24 biofuel bunkering operation

Chimbusco Pan Nation delivered 6,300 mt of B24-VLSFO in Hong Kong to boxship “XIN LOS ANGELES” on 15 May, exceeding its previous record of 5,500 mt delivered in February 2025.

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Hong Kong: CPN hits new record for China's largest B24 biofuel bunkering operation

Hong Kong-based bunker supplier Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical (CPN) on Friday (16 May) said it has set a record for China’s largest B24 marine biofuel bunkering operation.

CPN said it delivered 6,300 metric tonnes (mt) of B24-VLSFO in Hong Kong to container ship XIN LOS ANGELES on 15 May. 

The supply exceeded CPN’s previous record of 5,500 mt delivered to the same ship in February 2025.

“This collaboration reinforces CPN’s ability to execute large-scale marine biofuel bunkering with precision and reliability,” the company said in a social media post.

“By consistently supplying large volumes of B24 marine biofuel, CPN supports reduced carbon emissions and sustainable shipping practices globally.”

Related: CPN achieves largest B24 bio bunker fuel delivery in Hong Kong and China

 

Photo credit: Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical
Published: 16 May, 2025

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