Latest ISO8217 Spec an Important New Edition Which the Industry Needs to Take Onboard: VPS

Captain Rahul Choudhuri, Managing Director – Asia, ME & Africa, VPS

Following the publication of ISO8217:2017 this week, Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) has welcomed the latest edition of the Specifications of Marine Fuels and says it should be embraced by the industry.

"We would consider this an important new Edition which the industry needs to take onboard," Captain Rahul Choudhuri, Managing Director – Asia, ME & Africa, VPS, told Ship & Bunker.

The draft version of the 6th edition of ISO8217 had drawn sharp criticism during its development, with both VPS and INTERTANKO saying some of the proposed changes, and particularly those to Clause 5, may undercut the efforts of the shipping industry toward improving fuel quality.

However, in a circular released by VPS this week, the company said as a result of that pressure, "the ship owner protection under Clause 5 has been re-instated in this 6th edition."

Overall, the latest specification has what VPS calls "important and significant changes" including substantial amendments to the scope (Clause 1) as well as the general requirements (Clause 5).

"The Clause 5, general requirements, in former editions was often misunderstood, so the wording has been reworked in an attempt to clarify and minimize any future misunderstanding of the intent of this clause," said Chevron Fuels Technologist Monique Vermeire.

As previously reported by Ship & Bunker, other changes to the Specification include the introduction of DF (Distillate FAME) grades: DFA,DFZ and DFB allowing up to 7 v% FAME.

"The introduction of DF (Distillate FAME) grades will improve 0,10% S fuel oil availability in some ports. In many countries 7 v% is also the max FAME content in automotive diesel fuel, which therefore can then be supplied as marine fuel when meeting also all other DF characteristics as listed in Table," explained Vermeire.

"The de minimis level of FAME has been increased from approx. 0,1 % up to 0,5% but still avoids intentional blending of FAME in DM and RM grades."

Steve Bee, VPS' Group Commercial & Business Development Director told Ship & Bunker it will be "interesting to see what impact of the FAME level has."

In recent years Bee has also been a notable voice in highlighting issues over the cloud point and cold filter plugging point of distillate fuels, issues now addressed in the latest edition of ISO8217.

"The requirement to report cloud point and cold filter plugging point have been introduced to protect against cold operability issues which have been experienced since the introduction of 0,10% S limit and new, more paraffinic fuels coming into the market," said Vermeire.

"At some occasions, paraffins were settling out in tanks, especially when the fuel was stored in unheated tanks."

The changes have been welcomed by VPS.

"The new requirements for cloud point and cold filter plugging point acknowledges the importance of cold flow characteristics, where VPS has taken the lead to highlight this adverse development over the last couple of years. We therefore strongly encourage to always test cloud point and cold filter plugging point on distillate fuels," the company said.

The full standard is available on the ISO website here: https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:8217:ed-6:v1:en