Americas News
US Gulf Bunker Contamination Problems Still Ongoing: FOBAS
Bunker contamination problems observed in the US Gulf over the summer are still ongoing, according to Lloyd's Register testing service FOBAS.
The firm is still receiving reports of contamination problems in the region, the organisation said in a note to customers on Monday.
"Although the problems seemed to peak around summer, we are still getting reports of issues as vessels put contaminated fuels into use and are still seeing unusual chemicals in fuels recently bunkered, specifically in Houston and New Orleans ports," the company said in the statement.
"In our previous bulletin we mentioned glycols, tetrachloroethylene, Tetrahydro and Dihydro DCPD along with low levels of FAME.
"In some more recent cases there are also a number of unidentifiable chemicals, free fatty acids and signs of high concentrations of unknown esters.
"Noting on further investigation that Tetrahydro and Dihydro DCPD were also in bunkers loaded on ships that did not report back to us any issues, we have deepening concerns about what the unidentifiable chemicals not detected actually are."
The most recent sample with a confirmed problem that the firm has seen was bunkered in mid-October.
"As this has been such a long lasting and wide reaching issue, we would still be concerned about fuels being bunkered in this US Gulf area," the company said.
"The majority of the fuels in question are low viscosity (20 – 100cSt) VLSFO’s with acid numbers between 0.50 – 1.50 mgKOH/g.
"We would be particularly concerned if fuels being bunkered are in this range and recommend acid number testing is carried out as a precaution on any VLSFO fuel in the area.
"The number of ships reporting similar issues and the concerns raised from our investigative analysis therefore points away from any ship’s specific fuel management or machinery compatibility and more towards the fuel as supplied."
