Asia/Pacific News
Avoid Discount Bad Bunkers: Petro Inspect
Bunker buyers should avoid contaminated fuel that is being sold off at a discount in Singapore, Petro Inspect has advised.
As Ship & Bunker reported last week, certain suppliers have been offering fuel known to be contaminated at between $5 to $8/mt below the going market rate.
"The goal is to essentially use up the current contaminated stock as soon as possible, but do not let the discounts fool you,", Petro Insect's Head of Business Development and Marketing, Alex Tang, told Ship & Bunker.
"Should the contaminated bunkers make their way into the engines, the damage in terms of monetary value could far outweigh what you would have paid for in bunkers at the discounted price."
After first appearing in April in the US Gulf market, the recent spate of bad bunkers then spread to Panama and Singapore.
In the case of Singapore, Ship & Bunker understands the number of confirmed cases resulting in problems has been much lower than in the Americas, as have the contamination levels found in the suspect fuel.
Still, Tang says the market should still be vigilant and buy good quality fuel.
Petro Inspect has recently launched new services to help clients identify if their bunkers are fit for purpose.
