Americas News
At Least Two Types of Contamination Causing Houston Bunker Fuel Problems
The ongoing contamination of bunker fuel in the US Gulf region is being cause by at least two separate issues, UK P&I has warned.
Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) last month were one of the first to announce analysis results from the area, concluding that samples all contained high concentrations of 4-Cumyl-Phenol.
But in an FAQ released by UK P&I in conjunction with Brookes Bell, the companies said the problem might not only be more complicated, but it may have also spread to fuels being supplied in Panama.
"There have been a significant number of bunker quality related engine problems following the delivery of fuel supplied in the US Gulf region, particularly in the Houston area, but these also extend to fuels supplied at Panama," the companies wrote.
"There appear to be at least two different forms of contamination involved, i.e. not all problem fuels share the same burden of contaminants, some showing evidence of chemical waste related to bisphenol manufacturing operations, other showing evidence of bio-derived contaminants including Tall Oil, a bi-product from the timber industry."
VPS says the issue has already hit some 30 vessels under its own test programme, with industry sources telling Ship & Bunker the contamination was on an "unprecedented scale" and as many as 100 vessels may have impacted in total.
Problems resulting from the contaminated bunkers include sticking and seizure of fuel injection system components and blocking of fuel filters.
The FAQ can be found here: https://www.ukpandi.com/knowledge-publications/article/1151-06-08-current-bunker-issues-in-us-gulf-144072/
