Bunker Conference News

OW Bunker, a supplier and trader of marine fuel, issued a statement encouraging ship owners and operators to focus their energies on effectively planning for the new Emissions Control Regulation (ECA) regulations in 2015. Speaking on the ‘changes and challenges’ that the industry faces at the 5 International Istanbul Bunker Conference, Søren Christian Mayer, Global Sales Director, OW Bunker, said: “There are factions within the industry that continue to lobby the IMO to change the regulation. This is giving false hope to ship owners and operators, which will lead to a dangerous state of apathy.

11.4 million tons was bunkered in Rotterdam in 2003, as compared to 10.6 million tons in the previous year. The 7.4 percent increase meant a record for the port in terms of the amount of ship's fuels and lubricants supplied to the seagoing shipping sector. With a turnover of roughly $2 billion and direct employment for well in advance of 1400 people, it was a particularly good year for the bunker sector. Following Singapore, Rotterdam is the largest bunker port in the world. In 2003, 20,676 bunker operations were carried out: an average of 57 per day. Captain Cornelius de Keijzer, bunker expert of the Port of Rotterdam, was pleased with the results.

What happens when a bunker deal set up over the Internet goes wrong? One hasn't yet, but if bunkering in cyberspace mirrors bunkering in the real world, it is only a matter of time before one does. The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) and Oxford-based marine, energy and commodity credit information provider Infospectrum will be presenting and discussing each step of an e-commerce deal that has come off the rails at a joint bunker conference to be held in Athens, Greece, from 5-8 June 2001. "The conference, which will incorporate IBIA's 2001 members' meeting, will be held at the Astir Palace Resort at Vougliameni. This…

ExxonMobil Marine Fuels (EMMF), a world leading supplier of marine fuels, has warned that alternatives to a pure sulphur cap on fuels need to be investigated, made workable and used, if serious pitfalls are to be avoided. Steve Walker, Global Technical Manager of EMMF, told the recent International Bunker Conference in Rotterdam that, while any move to ensure cleaner air should be welcomed, the current EC proposal for amendment of the Sulphur in Liquid Fuels Directive has yet to look in depth at the real effect it will have on the end-user. Walker explained that, for internationally trading vessels, the current proposal would involve having three grades of fuel – 4.5 per cent sulphur bunker fuel…