EMEA News
Bimco Highlights 0.5% Fuel Management Challenges
The composition of very low sulfur fuel can have a detrimental impact on ships' engines, a survey has found.
The study, from shipowners' organisation Bimco, looked at how the fuel's "problematic properties" could lead to operational issues.
These include "increased sludge discharge, the clogging of fuel pipes, preheaters, fuel separators and fuel filters and fuel pumps getting stuck" as well as "problems with fuel injection and poor ignition of fuel oil".
The study found that "off specifications [occur] most frequently" with regards to "total sediment, aluminium plus silicon, pour point, ash, flash point, acid number and viscosity".
The survey also indicated "that most common operational problems experienced" are linked to "increased sludge deposits and wax appearance after switching to the compliant fuel oils with a sulphur content not exceeding 0.50%".
The new, global standard for bunker fuel capped at 0.5% sulfur (from the previous 3.5% sulfur content) came in at the start of the year.
The study ran from February 24 to May 6 and is available at www.bimco.org.
