VPS reviews bunker fuel mix and quality since implementation of Mediterranean ECA
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by Admin
By the end of October 2025, six months had passed since the implementation of the Mediterranean Emission Control Area (ECA). Steve Bee, Group Marketing and Strategic Projects Director of marine fuels testing company VPS, reviewed what has changed in terms of the marine fuel mix and fuel quality, across the region between 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2025:
Pre-Mediterranean ECA
The six months leading up to the implementation of the Mediterranean ECA (1st November to 30th April 2025), VPS tested marine fuels representing 1,610,852mt, bunkered in the Top 10 Mediterranean ports. This consisted of: 53% VLSFO, 28% HSFO, 16% MGO, 2% ULSFO and 1% Biofuels.
These Top 10 Mediterranean ports during the six months leading up to the ECA coming into force, provided approximately 90% of the total fuel tested by VPS from the whole region. The breakdown by port and fuel type in mt was as follows:
Over the six month period Pre-ECA, (Nov-24 to Apr-25), 5.5% by volume, of all fuels bunkered across the Top 10 Mediterranean ports, were off-specification. However, by fuel type, over that time period, the following off-specification rates were observed:
VLSFO (6%), HSFO (6%), MGO (3%), ULSFO (2%) and Biofuels (0%).
In terms of the off-specification parameters by fuel type pre-ECA, these were mainly the following:
- VLSFO – Viscosity, Cat-fines
- HSFO – Viscosity, Density, Water
- MGO – Flash Point
- ULFSO – Pour Point
Post-Mediterranean ECA
From the implementation of the Mediterranean ECA on 1st May until 31st October 2025, VPS tested marine fuels representing 1,888,799 mt from the Top Ten Mediterranean ports. This consisted of: 30% VLSFO, 29% HSFO, 30% MGO, 8% ULSFO and 4% Biofuels.
Looking at the Top 10 Mediterranean ports since the start of the ECA and up to 31st October, these ports have supplied approximately 90% of the total fuel tested by VPS, which is a similar percentage to the six month period pre-ECA.
The breakdown by port and fuel type in mt is as follows:
Note: The full VPS article can be viewed here.
Photo credit: VPS
Published: 9 December, 2025
