Maritec Provides Biofuel Bunker Guidance Following Tests

Maritec is based in Singapore. File Image / Pixabay

Fuel testing firm CTI-Maritec has set out its guidance for the use of biofuel bunker blends following its analysis of a range of biodiesel blends.

The company has offered a full range of biodiesel blend tests since early this year, and has tested 'quite a number' of the blends, typically containing 20-30% biofuel, it said in a statement on its website on Friday.

"Biodiesel blends has lower energy content when compared to conventional fossil fuels and the calculated net specific energy commonly used for fossil fuels may not apply to biodiesel blends," the company said in the statement.

"In order to plan for the consumption of biodiesel blend for a voyage and to determine the engine's performance accurately, lower calorific value (or net heat of combustion) shall be measured.

"When ordering biodiesel blends, the FAME content is agreed between buyer and seller, therefore it is important to measure the FAME content in order to ensure that the correct FAME content is received as per the biodiesel blend transaction.

"Use of marine fuel containing FAME onboard ship may potentially pose some operation issues such as microbial growth; oxidative stability & long-term storage stability; low temperature operation & corrosion."

The company provided the following guidance on further testing that may be needed for biofuel blends:

Image Credit: CTI-Maritec

"In the near future, CTI-Maritec will expect to receive more biodiesel blends for analysis as more vessel owners will switch to biodiesel blends in order to comply with the regulatory requirements on reduction of GHG emissions especially reduction of carbon intensity from international shipping," the company said.