Intertek ShipCare Launches New Fast Screening GCMS Service for Bunkers

Intertek ShipCare launches new GCMS service. File Image / Pixabay

Intertek ShipCare has introduced a new fast screening gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GCMS) service to help identify fuel contamination problems not regularly identified by ISO 8217 test methods.

The move was prompted not only by the recent spate of "bad bunkers" but also the upcoming IMO 2020 rule.

As has been widely discussed in these pages, the phenols and other contaminants suspected to be responsible for the most recent issues were detected using GCMS testing.

"In the vast majority of cases, the fuels supplied were tested in accordance with ISO 8217 requirements prior to use, no cause for concern was observed during testing that could have hinted at the resulting issues experienced during use," Intertek notes.

And with the industry expecting a raft of new fuels on the market in response to the upcoming IMO 2020 sulfur cap, Intertek ShipCare says bunker buyers can expect continued bunker quality issues ahead: "It is well documented that the evolution of legislative reform presents new and unusual issues for fuel buyers to consider."

Intertek says the new fast screening GCMS tool both supports its existing screening capabilities and extends their scope.

"This new Direct Injection GCMS Screening program is a unique analysis tool which offers the full benefit of a Direct Injection GCMS technique without incurring significant delay in supplying the results to Intertek ShipCare clients," it says.

"This technique offers an in-depth insight into potential underlying issues, can be carried out in a much shorter time frame (along-side the standard suite of ISO 8217 tests) and can identify a wide range of potential contaminants that would only usually be visible when using a much more intensive GCMS analytical suite of tests."