EMEA News
Parker Kittiwake Produces Portable Fuel Testing Unit
A new bunker fuel testing unit has come onto the market from UK-based technology firm Parker Kittiwake.
Among the X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) Analyser's advantages cited by the manufacturer are efficiency and portability.
"XRF provides an accurate indication of sulphur content through the analysis of a small fuel sample in less than three minutes," the company said.
"Effective enforcement is at the heart of the sulphur cap, and onboard testing is the most efficient means of establishing compliance with sulphur regulations," said the company's marine condition monitoring manager, Larry Rumbol.
"The XRF Analyser can be used to test the fuel and verify the sulphur content against what is stated on the bunker delivery note, eliminating the risk of accidental non-compliance," he added.
The unit is factory calibrated according to the ISO 8754 standard. It can handle "field measurements that correlate strongly with laboratory measurements" and test results can be stored electronically.
It sits in small, lightweight housing while test results are displayed as a percentage on an LCD screen, the company said.
From January 1, 2020, the global sulfur cap on bunker fuel falls to 0.5%. However, ensuring shipping's compliance with the regulation is seen by many observers as a considerable challenge.
