Intertek Warns on Distillate Fuel Handling Issues Not Identified by ISO8217

Steve Bee, Global Business Director, Intertek (Lintec) ShipCare Services

Operators need to take particular care when using distillate fuels, as key operational issues can arise from properties not identified by ISO8217 test parameters, Steve Bee, Global Business Director, Intertek (Lintec) ShipCare Services, has told Ship & Bunker.

"Distillates are not the problem free fuels that some operators would believe. They have their own issues, they are just different issues to those typically found with residual fuels," he said.

Understanding the pour point, cloud point, and the cold filter plugging point of a distillate is essential to problem free operation, explained Bee, however only pour point is included as an ISO8217 test parameter, for DMA, DMB and DMZ grade products.

"We recently had a serious case of waxing that demonstrates what can happen when operators are only thinking about pour point," he said.

"The pour point of the fuel was -6°C, but the cloud point was +15°C, and the cold filter plugging point was +12°C. The ship operator then put that fuel into a tank that was at 10°C, which then formed a thick wax which blocked the filter.

"We're seeing a few cases like this now, and we believe cold filter plugging point and cloud point should really be included in the standard tests for distillates. They are very important from a storage and handling perspective."

Bee said the difference between distillate and HFO tests also means some customers could be missing important information when it comes to the new hybrid fuels.

"There are currently no ISO8217 specifications for the new fuels, so a lot of people we see are asking for them to be tested against RMD80 specification, which is obviously aimed at an 80 cSt residual fuel," he said.

"However some of the new hybrid products can be more distillate in nature, so just because they may not see any issues against the RMD80 test parameters might be misleading, as they could be missing potentially important test parameters more relevant to the handling of distillate quality."

Bee also said that since the January 1, 2015 introduction of a 0.10 percent sulfur cap within Emissions Control Areas (ECAs), there has been a shift towards more distillate testing.

"It is about a 60/40 split between residual and distillate since January, compared to 80/20 before that," he said.

"One of the big things we're noticing is much more lubricity testing, with concerns about sulfur being too low."

Earlier this year, Bee explained that FIA testing of the new "hybrid" fuels showed that they appear to burn faster and cleaner than their traditional residual fuel oil counterparts.