Off-spec bunker fuel sediment alerts rise: VPS

: Oil products
20/01/23

Fuel testing company Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) issued seven alerts in a month about excess sediment levels in 0.5pc sulphur marine fuel oil blends in ports across the world.

In the four weeks to 21 January, VPS found off-specification sediment levels in 0.5pc fuel oil supplied in Singapore, Piraeus in Greece, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Miami and San Vicente in Chile.

"I've never known such a concentrated frequency of bunker alerts to be issued in relation to a single fuel quality problem as we have seen with sediment problems in very low sulphur fuel oils over the past four weeks," VPS' commercial and business development director, Steve Bee, said.

Fuels with high sediment levels are at greater risk of becoming unstable as they can form sludge deposits in the fuel tanks and injection systems. In the worst case sludge deposits can block filters and cause engine damage.

Testing done by fuel testing company Fuel Oil Bunker Analysis and Advisory Service (Fobas) in November and December also found marine fuels with sediment levels above the 0.1pc limit in several regions including the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp hub. In the Americas, 9pc of the 0.5pc fuel oil samples tested by Fobas between 1 December and 13 January had sediment levels that were too high.

Most of those fuels were 0.5pc and 0.1pc sulphur marine fuel oils, which have been in high demand since November 2019 when the shipping industry started switching to low-sulphur fuels to comply with the International Maritime Organisation's 0.5pc sulphur cap.

By Erik Hoffmann

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25/05/08

Sonatrach Augusta refinery restart extends into May

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IMO GHG pricing falls short on green methanol, ammonia

25/05/07

IMO GHG pricing falls short on green methanol, ammonia

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India, Saudi Arabia plan two Indian refineries

25/05/07

India, Saudi Arabia plan two Indian refineries

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EU-Vorhaben gegen Russland könnten AdBlue-Preis erhöhen

25/05/07

EU-Vorhaben gegen Russland könnten AdBlue-Preis erhöhen

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Spanish base oils under force majeure after power cut

25/05/07

Spanish base oils under force majeure after power cut

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