Marine Fuel Quality Risks Becoming More Localised: Integr8 Fuels

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Wednesday October 7, 2026

Marine fuel quality remains broadly stable, but risks are becoming increasingly localised across ports and supply chains, according to marine fuels trading firm Integr8 Fuels.

The company’s latest Bunker Quality Trends Report, shared with Ship & Bunker today, analysed delivered marine fuel quality data from February to July 2026 and found that global quality averages are increasingly masking variations in local fuel pools.

Changes in crude flows, refinery slates and regional product supplies are contributing to differences in sulphur, cold-flow properties, sediment and other fuel characteristics.

Integr8 also said fuel that meets specification can still create additional costs for buyers.

Energy content, density, water, sediment and extra heating or handling requirements can affect the value delivered.

While overall quality remained broadly stable, ULSFO was the main exception, with quality notifications rising to 6.7% from 3.1% in the previous period. Pour point accounted for the largest share of notifications.

“Its notification rate has more than doubled, but most of that increase sits at the lower-consequence end,” Integr8 Fuels said in the report.

“Risk is increasingly determined by the port, the supply chain and the characteristics of the available fuel pool, rather than by the global average for a grade,” Chris Turner, Technical Manager at Integr8 Fuels, said.

The report can be downloaded from Integr8's website here.

Ship & Bunker News Team
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