WSS Urges Ship Operators to Utilise Onboard Bunker Testing

WSS called on ship operators to ensure onboard marine fuel testing is set as an "operational necessity."

Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) Wednesday called on ship operators to ensure onboard marine fuel testing is set as an "operational necessity."

The company cites "a host of issues" that can arise with conventional heavy fuels and low sulfur distillates, resulting in significant engine room problems if left unchecked.

Water content is noted to be one common problem among both types of fuels, although specific issues are associated within the two different fuel types.

"Heavy fuels are prone to problems with stability and the ominous catalytic fines that wear down engines, even in cases where they are within recommended levels. Whereas marine diesel fuels see an increased risk of microbial contamination and biofouling, along with storage stability and lubricity issues," said Jonas Östlund, Product Marketing Manager for Oil at WSS.

"Many of these inherent issues with fuel do go unnoticed and unattended, as they are not covered by standard fuel specifications," adds Östlund, noting bunkering on-spec fuel is of no consequence to actual quality.

Östlund suggests that, while testing during bunkering operations provides an obvious solution to such fuel quality issues, statistics show that such processes are underutilised.

"MARPOL-approved testing during bunkering can highlight these problems, but recent estimates suggest just 20 percent of vessels are performing them. Those that do typically can wait up to six days to get the results back from the lab and by then they've been sailing on that fuel for almost a week," explained Östlund.

As such, Östlund says onboard fuel testing is the "quickest, easiest and most cost-effective solution currently available," but acknowledges that crew training is required in order for tests to be carried out and preventative measures to be taken - a cost some ship owners and operators may be reluctant to commit to given shipping's current challenging conditions.

Still, Östlund insists onboard testing is essential, highlighting the company's offering of Unitor branded test kits.

"For just a couple of hundred dollars a year you can drastically minimise the operational risks we've sadly all become too accustomed to," concludes Östlund.

Last month, Ship & Bunker reported that WWS' principal, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL), intends to develop and test low sulfur and hybrid fuels with Exxon, and has been urging authorities to enforce regulations on sulfur content through the Trident Alliance, an industry orginsation that is chaired by Anna Larsson, Head of Sustainability at WWL.