Shipowners should keep a close eye on bunker fuel quality following reports of off-specification fuels at several major bunkering ports, according to German testing and monitoring technology firm CM Technologies (CMT).
The alerts over the past six months covered Antwerp, Rotterdam, Houston, Singapore, Hong Kong and Piraeus, involving catalytic fines, fuel stability, high sediment levels and low flash points, it said in an emailed update on Monday.
David Fuhlbrügge, joint managing director of CMT, noted that supply chain disruptions linked to geopolitical tensions could affect the availability and sourcing of fuel blending components.
“Although conflicts cannot be directly blamed for individual cases of contaminated or off-specification fuel, changes in the availability and sourcing of blending components are important factors ship managers need to consider when managing bunker quality,” he said.
West P&I data covering fuel samples tested between April and September showed that 46.2% of heavy fuel oil (HFO) samples in Antwerp were technically off-specification. The rate was 41.4% in Norfolk, 38% in the Panama Canal region and 35.5% in Rotterdam.
Fuhlbrügge said catalytic fines could accelerate wear in fuel injection equipment, cylinder liners and piston rings if not adequately removed during fuel treatment.
Mixing incompatible fuel batches could also lead to sludge formation and additional cleaning costs.
Earlier this year, Maritime insurer Gard also said that it handled more than 70 bunker-related claims between January and May 2026, up 50% from the same period last year, with fuel quality issues accounting for almost all cases.
