Asia/Pacific News
Insurer Skuld Urges Caution Over Unusual Compounds in Southeast Asian Bunkers
Marine insurer Skuld has advised shipowners to exercise caution after identifying unusual chemical compounds in some marine fuels supplied in Southeast Asia.
Several vessels have reported fuels that met standard ISO 8217 parameters, but further testing using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) revealed elevated levels of hydrocarbon compounds, phenolic substances and alkylresorcinol derivatives, it said in an email statement on Monday.
The fuels are largely linked to supply locations including Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia, with findings consistent with the presence of shale oil-derived components.
While shale oil is permitted under ISO 8217, high concentrations of such compounds are not typical of marine fuels and may lead to operational issues such as sludge formation, purifier and filter fouling, and fuel injection problems.
Skuld noted that not all vessels experience operational issues, but said GCMS findings should be treated as a warning and followed by a risk assessment.
The insurer urged due diligence in bunker procurement, including supplier vetting, advanced testing where needed, and close monitoring of onboard fuel systems.
Recently, fuel testing firm VPS also identified elevated levels of shale oil-derived components in some VLSFO supplied in Singapore.
Key Bunker Prices More
| VLSFO | MGO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $/mt | +/- | $/mt | +/- | |
| Singapore | 963.00 | 26.00 | 1351.50 | 10.50 |
| Rotterdam | 766.00 | 3.00 | 1446.00 | 11.50 |
| Houston | 817.00 | 11.50 | 1421.00 | 1.00 |
| Fujairah | 981.00 | 12.00 | 1768.50 | 17.50 |
| APAC Average | 1029.50 | 32.00 | 1478.50 | 13.50 |
| Global 20 Ports Average | 929.50 | 10.50 | 1565.00 | 13.00 |
| Global 4 Ports Average | 882.00 | 13.50 | 1496.50 | 9.50 |
| Global Average Bunker Price | 978.50 | 20.00 | 1616.50 | 18.50 |
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