Oil Fuel News

The IMO’s Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 11) agreed new guidance on several key environmental issues.Meeting from February 19 to 23, 2024, the following guidance will now be submitted to the Marine Environment Protection Committee for approval this March (MEPC 81) and October (MEPC 82):• the safe transport of plastic pellets by sea• best practices for cutting black carbon emissions from ships operating in or near the Arctic• reducing risks of use and carriage…

Singapore-based CTI-Maritec has found that seven samples from four different suppliers representing HSD and Bio Distillate grade deliveries in Indonesia have a flashpoint as low as 35°C.The samples were taken between December 10 and 19 2023.The company reminds that SOLAS Chapter II-2, Part B, Reg. 4. Clause 2.1.1 states: “The following limitations shall apply to the use of oil as fuel, except as otherwise permitted by this paragraph, no oil fuel with a flashpoint of less than…

A new EU agreement on waste shipments is set to remove a legal roadblock to make it possible for a raft of non-OECD ship recycling yards to be included on an EU-approved list, which would unleash much-needed shipbreaking capacity for a massive wave of tonnage due to be scrapped over the coming years, according to green recycling consultancy Sea Sentinels.The European Parliament and Council have agreed to allow exports of hazardous waste, including that contained in EU-flagged ships…

Before the Ever Max ship carrying lava lamps, sofas, Halloween costumes and artificial Christmas trees could make its inaugural Panama Canal voyage this month, a historic drought forced it to drop weight by offloading hundreds of containers.Weather-related disruptions denied the vessel, owned by Taiwanese shipping company Evergreen Marine, a chance on Aug. 1 to set a record for carrying the most containers through the vital maritime shortcut that connects the Pacific and Atlantic…

The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) has submitted proposals to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 107) which will be meeting later this week in a bid to improve understanding and workability of new flashpoint regulations for fuel oil.MSC 107 will meet from 31 May to 9 June and will continue discussion on an agenda item for the development of further measures to enhance the safety of ships relating to the use of fuel oil. In essence, the aim is to introduce increased control on the supply of bunker fuels.

Mining company Anglo American announced that its newly launched liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fueled Capesize+ vessel, the Ubuntu Harmony, has loaded its first cargo of iron ore from its Kumba operations in South Africa.The 190,000 tonne bulk carrier, flagged in Singapore, is the first of 10 LNG dual-fueled newbuilds that Anglo American will introduce to its chartered fleet during the course of 2023 and 2024, delivering an estimated 35% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to ships fueled by conventional marine oil fuel.

Knutsen NYK Offshore Tankers (KNOT), an affiliate of NYK,  has taken delivery of a dual-fuel LNG shuttle tanker built at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering yard in South Korea.

A dual-fuel LNG (liquefied natural gas) shuttle tanker1 ordered by Knutsen NYK Offshore Tankers AS,2 which is an affiliate of NYK, was delivered on August 2 at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. The vessel has been named Frida Knutsen.The shuttle tanker will be chartered to ENI Trade & Biofuels S.p.A, a subsidiary of Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi S.p.A (ENI), 3 and will be engaged in oil transportation in the North Sea and Barents Sea.The vessel will be KNOT's first dual-fuel shuttle tanker that can use not only heavy fuel oil but also LNG.

At least 10 vessels carrying Russia-linked cargoes of crude and refined products were approaching the United States on Wednesday, as suppliers rushed to deliver ahead of the U.S. government's deadline to wind down Russian energy purchases, data from traders and Refinitiv Eikon showed.The United States, the world's biggest oil consumer, this month banned imports of Russian energy products due to the invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a "special operation." Washington's ban gives importers until April 22 to discharge cargoes moving under pre-ban contracts.At least one tanker carrying fuel oil heading to the United States has diverted, and at least two others that stopped at Russian terminals are awaiting discharge at U.S. ports, according to Refinitiv data, one since March 7.U.S.

The United Nations shipping agency on Thursday adopted a ban on the use of heavy fuel oil in the Arctic region while green groups said the regulations contained loopholes which will allow many vessels to keep sailing without enough regulatory control.Antarctic waters are protected by stringent regulations, including a ban on heavy oil fuel (HFO) adopted in 2011, even though no cargo moves through the turbulent southern waters. For the Arctic, the rules have been looser.In a virtual…

Autoship Systems Corporation (ASC) supplied Boksa Marine Design (BMD) with its latest Autohydro 6.10, offering yet more features and tools leading to new efficiencies for calculating hydrostatic parameters, stability and longitudinal strength. BMD, a naval architecture and marine engineering firm located in Lithia, Fla., has designed and engineered more than 600 completed projects up to 740-feet for over 50 clients since 2003, including leading shipyards.Specializing in full-scale…

The United Nations shipping agency on Friday approved a ban on the use of heavy fuel oil in the Arctic region in a move criticized by green groups which said loopholes will allow many vessels to keep sailing without enough regulatory control.Antarctic waters are protected by stringent regulations, including a ban on heavy oil fuel (HFO) adopted in 2011, even though no cargo moves through the turbulent southern waters. For the Arctic, the rules have been looser.In a virtual session…

An abandoned, partially sunken tugboat is actively discharging oil within Krause Lagoon in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, the U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday.The amount of oil discharged from the tug Cape Lookout remains unknown, while the maximum potential discharge based on the size of the vessel fuel and lube oil tanks is approximately 48,000 gallons of fuel and 2,000 gallons of lube oil, the Coast Guard said, adding it is unknown how full both tanks are at this time.“Due to the immediate pollution threat this vessel represents to the environment and surrounding area…

Draft U.N. proposals to ban the use and transport of heavy fuel oil by ships in the Arctic contain waivers that will allow many vessels to keep sailing without enough regulatory control over their emissions, a study released on Thursday found.Antarctic waters are protected by stringent regulations, including a ban on heavy oil fuel (HFO) adopted in 2011, even though no cargo moves through the turbulent southern waters. For the Arctic, the rules are looser.Environmentalists say HFO produces higher emissions of harmful pollutants, including sulphur oxide, nitrogen oxides, and black carbon.

Portugal’s Navalrocha Shipyard is reporting a flurry of activity in 2020 as it navigates the COVID-19 outbreak and prepares for a packed order book in the coming months.Navalrocha commercial director Sergio Rodrigues said the shipyard had recorded several landmarks during a highly memorable period in its history, completing its first multimillion Euro refit for a seismic survey vessel before managing its first ballast water treatment system (BWTS) installation.The projects were accompanied by a series of other deals involving bunker tankers…

Flexible metal hose manufacturer Penflex Corporation said Penflex Vietnam has received DNV GL certification for its products used in marine and offshore applications.Penflex single and double braided 700 Series sizes 2 ½” to 12” and P3 Series sizes ¼” to 2” comply with all DNV GL standards pertaining to metal hose.DNV GL rules for classification: Ships Pt. 4 Ch. 6 Piping SystemsDNV GL offshore standards (OS): DNVGL-OS-D101 Marine machinery systems and equipmentDNV GL class programmes…

Portugal’s Navalrocha shipyard said it has completed a multimillion-euro repair and refit project for Dubai-based marine geophysical company Polarcus.The drydock project which completed in January 2020 involved a broad package of work to the ultra-modern 14 streamer 3D/4D seismic vessel – Polarcus Naila.The vessel is environmentally advanced with diesel-electric propulsion, high specification catalytic converters, a double hull and advanced bilge water cleaning system.“The Polarcus Naila visited Navalrocha shipyard for a total of 33-days running through the Christmas period…

International Maritime Organization (IMO) has been preparing ahead of the implementation date. From 1 January 2020, under IMO's MARPOL convention for the prevention of pollution from ships.Accordingly, the sulfur content of fuel oil used by ships operating outside designated emission control areas shall not exceed 0.50% - representing an 80% cut from the current 3.50% limit. New requirements for ships to cut sulfur oxide emissions enter into effect on 1 January 2020, marking a sea change in fuel used by ships, globally, which will significantly reduce air pollution from ships with positive benefits for human health and the environment.At a roundtable industry meeting hosted by IMO at its London Headquarters (21 June)…

The International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) has approved measures to improve the safety for seafarers when mooring ships.Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) said in a press release that between 5 and 14 June, MSC met in London to discuss current issues related to the safety and security of global shipping.Part of the agenda was dedicated to the draft measures for safe mooring operations as prepared by the SDC sub-committee based on proposals originally submitted by Denmark.The measures approved by the Committee entails an amended SOLAS regulation and guidelines intended to improve the current situation…

Using nanotechnology to improve safety and efficiency.For as long as oil and petrochemicals have been in use by transportation, safely managing their highly flammable, toxic, and environmentally damaging vapors has been an ever present challenge. Even with increasing emphasis on safety procedures and better training, these invisible and dangerous vapors continue to result in the loss of life and property. But now, new nanotechnologies can provide safer and faster solutions that were not thought possible with conventional methods.

KA Petra, a Malaysian ship-to-ship (STS) transfer specialist, has signed a Heads of Agreement (HOA) with Hutchison Port Holdings to jointly develop the world’s largest STS transfer hub in the country.Under the terms of the HOA, KA Petra will have 70% interest in the project, whilst Hutchison Ports will take a strategic 30% stake.Based on preliminary studies, construction of the STS Hub is estimated to cost USD150 million to USD180 million, and will be funded by a combination of internally generated funds and debt financing. Construction will be done in phases with commencement within the next 12 months.Dato’ Shahrul Amirul, Executive Chairman of KA Petra Sdn Bhd said…

The throughput of LNG - liquefied natural gas - as bunker fuel in the Rotterdam bunker port increased considerably from 1,500 to 9,500 tonnes in 2018.Meanwhile, the sale of bunker oil - fuel for shipping - in the bunker port decreased from 9.9 million m3 to 9.5 million m3. The decrease can almost entirely be ascribed to the decline in sales of heavy fuel oil from 8.3 million m3 to 7.9 million m3.The Port of Rotterdam Authority suspects that the decline in bunker volumes in Europe’s largest bunker port is a consequence of the increased scale and use of modern vessels in container shipping. Supplies to container ships account for approximately 70 per cent of the total Rotterdam bunker market.These days, LNG bunkering in Rotterdam is business as usual.

Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO) said that environmental protection ihas been one of its main criteria of sustainable development.The Azerbaijani shipping company said in a press release that it keeps in the center of constant attention the minimization of environmental impacts of sludges, waste oil, fuel, other liquid and solid wastes obtained during the operation of vessels and the functioning of onshore facilities, on water basins, ground and air.Preventive measures within the framework of existing opportunities are taken against the damage of the environment in the course of operations.According to the data of January-September of this year…