Fuel Oil Samples News

International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR) meets this week (18-22 February) at IMO headquarters.According to the UN body, the meeting will focus on finalizing draft Guidelines on consistent implementation of the 0.50% sulphur limit under MARPOL Annex VI. The aim of the Guidelines is to assist in the preparations for and uniform implementation of the lower limit for sulphur content in ships’ fuel oil, which will take effect on 1 January 2020 and will have a significant beneficial impact on human health and the environment."The meeting will also consider draft amendments to MARPOL…

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) says it is encouraged by efforts made by IMO Member States to resolve some pressing practical challenges ahead of the global implementation of the 0.5 percent sulphur in fuel cap on January 1, 2020.Speaking after an IMO working group meeting last week, to which the industry submitted a number of constructive proposals to help ensure smooth and consistent implementation, ICS Secretary General, Peter Hinchliffe, remarked, “Although there is still much work to be done, last week’s IMO discussions were positive. Most important is that governments have acknowledged the safety concerns raised by industry about the use of compliant fuels including possible incompatibility.

International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) is continuing its efforts for IMO to adopt guidelines ahead of 2020 that will promote a uniform approach to fuel oil testing and reporting protocol for the verification of compliance with MARPOL Annex VI sulphur limits. Earlier this year, IBIA submitted two papers to the 5th session of the IMO’s Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 5) proposing a way ahead on sulphur testing and compliance verification. Both papers will be forwarded to a PPR intersessional working group (ISWG) taking place at the IMO in July. In PPR 5/12/1, IBIA proposes establishing appropriate guidelines for verifying the sulphur content in fuel oil samples taken from ships’ fuel systems (in-use samples).

A proposal by China to mandate specific ISO test methods for sulphur, building on a proposal made by IBIA to the IMO earlier this year, has won support to be further considered as the IMO works on measures to ensure uniform implementation of the 0.50% sulphur limit. China submitted its proposal to the 72nd session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 72) last week, proposing that the test method of sulphur content of fuel oil should be made mandatory to avoid disputes, and that the methods should be ISO 8754:2003 or ISO 14596:2007. China’s submission further noted: “ Document PPR 5/13/9 (IBIA) proposes adding the…

On the operative day the sulfur content of the fuel oil used on board ships operating within the ECA may not exceed 1.00 percent m/m (10,000 ppm). The boundaries of the North American ECA are defined in IMO MEPC.1/Circ.723 . The US EPA has issued Interim Guidance on the Non-Availability of Compliant Fuel Oil for the North American ECA and more information is also available on the US EPA website.

Fuel testing agency Lintec Testing Services has warned that three fuel oil samples taken recently from vessels that have bunkered in Riga, Latvia, have shown the presence of Dicyclopentadiene (DCPD), a synthetic substance not naturally occurring within marine fuel. Lintec Managing Director Geoff Jones said, “The presence of DCPD was detected by Lintec’s chemical screening service. This fuel is clearly in breach of Section 5.1 of the ISO-8217 specification, which clearly states that ‘the fuels should be homogeneous blends of hydrocarbons derived from petroleum refining. This shall not preclude the incorporation of small amounts of additives intended to improve some aspects of performance. The fuels shall be free from inorganic acids and from used lubricating oils.