Sea Trials for IMO-compliant Fuel to Start in Japan

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Tuesday June 4, 2019

Sea trials using International Maritime Organisation (IMO) 0.5% sulfur bunker fuel are to start in Japan, a government official has said.

Cited by price reporting agency S&P Global Platts, the source said the trials would use domestic coastal vessels. In addition, coordination between select refineries, bunker barges and ships is in the final stages, according to the source.

Trials of IMO-compliant fuel that have already taken place in Japan have been positive, according to the report.

Guidance from the transport ministry noted that Japanese refiners can produce and supply IMO-compliant low sulfur fuel oil with a sulfur content of less than 0.5%, a kinematic viscosity of more than 20 cst and a pour point of less than 30 degrees Celsius for bunkering, the report said.